Leg lost to cancer, but dance keeps girl going

KOLKATA: Moviegoers in 1986 watched Sudha Chandran in awe when the actress danced with an artificial leg in the biographical movie ‘Naache Mayuri’. Closer home in Kolkata, this Poila Baisakh a 16-year-old cancer survivor enthralled the audience, dancing on one leg.

A budding dancer, Anjali Roy was only 11 when she lost her left leg to osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. This cruel turn of fate would have cut her dreams short, had it not been for the indomitable spirit of the girl. Egged on by doctors and her parents, Anjali put on her ghungrooa year after her surgery.

Anjali was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her left knee in mid 2013. Doctors concluded that amputation was the only way to save her life.

Dr Soma De, paediatric oncologists at Saroj Gupta Cancer Research Institute (SGCRI, Thakurpukur, said, “We counselled the family and the girl before the surgery. Anjali is a very courageous girl. We kept on telling her that not all was not lost.” “The doctors made me watch Naache Mayuri while I was recovering in the hospital. That inspired me to never give up dance lessons,” Anjali told TOI.

This Poila Baishak, South Point Ex Students’ Association (SPESA), felicitated Anjali. The girl danced to Tagore’s Mor Beena Uthe Kon Shure Baji. And accompanying in the vocal was Dr

Arnab Gupta

, director SGCRI, also an alumni of South Point School.

SPESA vice-president

Sandip Roychoudhury

said, “We are in awe of the girl’s spirit.We shall help her to pursue a career in dance.”

Many organizations have come forward to provide a prosthetic leg for Anjali to make dancing easier for her.

Despite poverty, Anjali’s parents — Amit and Rita — ensured that she continued her school in addition to her dance classes. The girl is a student of class VIII at

Subhashgram Nabatara Vidyalaya

. As it is difficult for the girl to travel to the dance school, Amit — a garment factory worker — has engaged a dance teacher at home.