Kashmir at the Crossroads of Cancer Crisis

Cancer! We can no longer scroll past the word as if it were a distant or alien tragedy. In Kashmir today, it’s everywhere—whispered in hospital corridors, mentioned in family gatherings, discussed in hushed tones. It’s no longer someone else’s story; it’s ours.

A few months ago, a close friend of mine, was diagnosed with lung cancer. He is just thirty-three—young, full of dreams, and too familiar now with the cold precision of medical reports. His courage is immense, but watching him struggle has shaken me deeply. I began to notice how many others around us share a similar fate—neighbours, colleagues, relatives. It’s as if the disease has silently crept into every neighbourhood of our valley.

The rising tide of cancer cases threatens to overwhelm the overburdened healthcare system. The number is more than a statistical shock. Between 2018 and 2024, over 67,000 new cancer cases were reported in Jammu and Kashmir, with more than 50,000 emerging from the valley alone. These are not mere statistics—they are lives, families, dreams, and futures that evaporate quietly. The deadly disease crushes the victim and the family with a twin blow –aptly described in Kashmiri proverb ‘Jaen te gov, maal te gov’(human and financial loss). The struggle for the survival sweeps huge sums of money from diagnosis to the treatment. And for majority of the people in Kashmir- the cost of cure renders them bankrupt midway. And the crowd funding crops up as the only option to crawl further in search of cure.

The numbers, while staggering, demand a deeper reflection. Gastric cancer now tops the charts, particularly among men, but it is far from alone. Esophageal, lung, blood and breast cancers are steadily increasing. Why have the cases of cancer spiked so swiftly?

Lifestyle shifts, poor diet choices, adulterated food items, sedentary habits, and increasing exposure to environmental hazards are conspiring against the health. Packaged and processed foods have replaced simple, home-cooked meals; long hours in offices or in front of screens have replaced the routine physical work outs – walking, manual tasks etc. We have become digital, but also docile. Fast food culture has slowed down physical wellbeing. The valley is changing, so are the vulnerabilities of its people.

Late diagnosis, limited access to healthcare facilities, and a lack of widespread awareness exacerbate the problem. A patient often enters the hospital when the cancer has already advanced beyond the threshold of curative treatment. Hospitals are now straining under the weight of rising cases. Doctors, nurses, and support staff are working tirelessly, yet infrastructure remains inadequate. Waiting rooms are crowded, treatment schedules delayed, and patients are left navigating a system that is, in many ways, still catching up to the reality of this crisis.

So, what must be done? The answer lies not in panic, but in coordinated, reflective action. Public awareness campaigns are essential. People must be educated about early signs, lifestyle risks, and the dangers of environmental exposures. Robust screening programs must become the norm, not the exception. Mobile clinics, community health drives, and workplace initiatives can bring early diagnosis to the doorstep of the people. Screening is not just a medical intervention - it is a statement that the community values life, foresight, and prevention over reactive despair.

The health care infrastructure must be strengthened. Hospitals, oncology centers, and diagnostic facilities need better funding, equipment, and trained personnel. It is not enough to treat the symptoms of a crisis; the system must evolve to meet the scale of the challenge.

Finally, government and civil society must act in unison. Research into region-specific cancers, dietary recommendations, public health policies, and subsidies for treatment must be prioritized. Prevention, after all, is far cheaper and more humane than cure. Crowd funding is an emergency assistance. But for a crowd of cancer patients – a strong and stable indigenous support system has to be in place to meet emergencies systematically.

Cancer is not a challenge that can be addressed with sermons or speeches. It requires calm reflection, urgent awareness, and decisive action. Each number in the rising statistics represents a human story—stories of courage, struggle, and too often, tragedy. To ignore this is to betray not just public health, but the very humanity that binds the society together.

The time to act is now—not tomorrow, not when it is convenient, but now. For every life saved is not just a victory of medicine; it is a triumph of awareness, foresight, and the enduring spirit of Kashmir.