Cancer Survivor From Odisha Swagatika Conquers Dayara Bugyal

Bhubaneswar: Swagatika Acharya, a resident of Cuttack, was among the eight cancer survivors who recently scaled 11,830 feet atop Dayara Bugyal in Uttarakhand after a five-day trek, which they embarked on June 5.

She was accompanied by her father, Manoranjan Acharya.

While Swagatika was the youngest in the group, Dr Kunal Kumar Das, a scientist from Dehradun aged 72 years, was the oldest.

Swagatika carried a positive spirit as she battled cancer. “We always feel problems are bigger than us but when we dare, we are bigger than our problems. I have always been extremely excited about adventures and after trekking to Dayaru Bugyal, I feel that cancer is only a part of our life and there is a lot more to explore,” Swagatika told a local magazine.

The trip was part of the ‘Peak to Peak — Winning over Cancer’ expedition organised by Apollo Cancer Centers in partnership with IndiaHikes to empower the cancer survivors and prove that they are no less, besides spreading awareness about positive living after cancer treatments with the right knowledge and guidance from experts.

They were accompanied by two senior oncologists including Dr Sanjay Ku Mishra from Apollo Hospitals, Bhubaneswar.