How Mars Mission project director won his battle against cancer

A lesser-known fact about Subbiah Arunan, the project director of the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) and a Padmashri awardee, is that he is a cancer survivor. 

Even as the MOM was preparing for take-off in September 2014, Arunan was undergoing treatment for colon cancer at Manipal Hospitals here. The treatment had been going on for a year and a half. 

“To me cancer was in a way a boon as it brought out the best in me. I had the time to think and prepare for the MOM. When you are fighting cancer, more than the medical care, it is the will power, confidence and determination which help you fight the disease,” Arunan told Deccan Herald on the sidelines of the launch of ‘Not Beyond Us’, a cancer campaign organised by Manipal Hospitals as part of World Cancer Day on Wednesday. 

“My motivation and drive were MOM. My ailment gave me the confidence to handle the project and face worse situations.” 

He continued, “When I started suffering from the pain, I underwent tests and was diagnosed with colon cancer, which was in an early stage. I immediately started treatment. Early detection is one of the prime ways to fight cancer. Although the actual cause of cancer is not known, lifestyle plays an important role. Now, I am fortunate to be associated with the mission of spreading the message of fighting cancer as the Brand Ambassador of Manipal Hospitals for colon cancer.” 

Colon cancer, also called colorectal cancer, occurs in the large intestine when there is uncontrolled cell growth. This is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women the world over. Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, Medical Director and Chairman of Medical Advisory Board, Manipal Health Enterprise, said that according to a recent report in a UK journal and the experience of Indian doctors, in 60 per cent of the cases cancer occurs because of genetic mutation. 

In the other 40 per cent, it is due to lifestyle changes, obesity, smoking, use of tobacco and environmental toxins. Although usually men are more prone to cancer, women are increasingly developing the disease because of smoking and lifestyle changes. The most common cancers we encounter in adults (aged above 50) are breast, prostate, colon and cervical cancer.