24/09/2026
An Update on My Cancer Journey
Dear friends, customers and everyone who has continued to follow my journey,
I thought it was time to share another update on my cancer journey and how things have progressed since I last wrote.
Following my diagnosis, I began what is considered the standard first-line treatment for my cancer. Over the following months I completed eight rounds of chemotherapy. We went into this treatment with a great deal of hope that it would control the cancer and give us some stability.
Unfortunately, after those eight rounds, the scans showed that despite everything I had been through, the cancer was still progressing. The treatment we had hoped would keep it under control was no longer working.
My oncology team therefore decided to move to a second-line chemotherapy treatment, and I received the first session.
Shortly afterwards, however, another problem needed more urgent attention. The cancer had begun growing into and around my oesophageal stent. The stent is a wire-mesh tube that had previously been inserted into my food pipe to keep it open so that I could continue to swallow and eat.
Because of the tumour growth around the stent, my second-line chemotherapy was put on hold after that first session while the doctors dealt with the more immediate problem.
I then underwent 10 sessions of targeted radiotherapy, specifically aimed at reducing the tumour growth around the stent and helping to keep my food pipe open.
Those 10 sessions have now been completed. Unfortunately, I am now experiencing the after-effects of the radiotherapy, and I can honestly say they are not good. It has been a particularly difficult period physically, but I am taking things one day at a time and allowing my body time to recover.
The next step is another scan. The second-line chemotherapy will only resume if that scan shows that the cancer is continuing to progress. So, for the moment, we wait, recover and hope that the radiotherapy has done what we needed it to do.
Looking back, it has been quite a journey—from the shock of the original diagnosis, through eight rounds of chemotherapy, learning that the cancer was still progressing, beginning a new treatment, and then having that interrupted for another course of radiotherapy.
There have been encouraging moments and some very difficult setbacks. Every time we seem to settle into one treatment plan, something seems to change and we have to adapt again.
Through all of this, Vaishali and our family have been incredible. We are coping as best we can, trying to remain positive and continuing to enjoy the good days whenever they come.
Closing Aspect Stationers after 22 years was one of the hardest decisions we have ever made, but we now realise how important that decision was. It has given us the freedom to concentrate on my treatment, spend precious time together and appreciate the things in life that can so easily be taken for granted.
My faith continues to give me strength. There are many things in this journey that I simply cannot control, so I have learned to put my trust in God, take each day as it comes and keep hoping for the best possible outcome. 🙏
And finally, to all our former customers, friends and everyone who continues to ask about me—thank you.
Thank you for the messages, telephone calls, prayers and words of encouragement. Even though the doors of Aspect Stationers have closed, the kindness and friendship we experienced during those 22 years clearly haven’t disappeared. That means an enormous amount to both of us.
The journey isn’t over. There are still difficult days and uncertainty ahead, but there is also hope, faith, family and so much to be grateful for.
So we keep going.
One day at a time. 🙏
With love and heartfelt gratitude,
Mahesh & Vaishali