At first, Sharada Yadav declines to speak to us. Between running her own beauty parlour and taking care of her family, the 32-year-old Andheri resident has no time to spare for anyone. But it is her third – and biggest – responsibility that really occupies her days and her mind. She is currently playing caretaker to her 29-year-old sister and cancer patient, Sakshi, who is battling for her life at a Bandra-based hospice.

Cancer survivors opine that society should change its attitude towards them. Illustration/Amit Bandre