For eight years actor, Amitabh Bachchan did not know he was suffering from tuberculosis and said that he does not mind calling himself a tuberculosis survivor. Amitabh was at NDTV's Swasth India launch and was speaking to doctor Harsh Vardhan urging him to spread awareness about regular check-ups to facilitate early diagnosis.
"I keep quoting my personal example all the time and try and propagate the idea of getting yourself detected and I don’t mind saying this publicly I am a tuberculosis survivor, Hepatitis B survivor... Bad blood infusion went in and 75% of my liver is gone but because I was able to detect it even after a period of 20 years when 75% of my liver is gone. I am still surviving on 25%," said Big B.
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The 76-year-old star, who has been associated with various health campaigns like Polio, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis and diabetes, urged people to get tested and diagnosed.
"Then there is a cure. Even with Tuberculosis. I did not know for almost 8 years I was suffering from Tuberculosis. I keep saying that with immodesty if it can happen to me to anyone. Therefore if you are not willing to get yourself tested then you would never find out and there's never going to be a cure for it," he said.
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In an interview to PTI, Big B revealed that it was during Kaun Banega Crorepati that he was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the spine in 2000. He said, "It's very uncomfortable. You cannot sit or lie down. Most of the time, I was on 8-10 pain killers a day just to survive the period when I was anchoring the game show."
Further, he said, "The reason I disclosed is that I felt that the word 'survivor' is somehow is a very powerful word. When I say I am TB survivor, it seems like I survived a plane crash or boat sinking. If you survive that, it lends a lot of power and strength to what you are saying. It's like saying that I have survived it because I went through a process."
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