Swimming Upstream: My Struggle and Triumph Over Cancer and the Medical Establishment: New Hope in Cancer Treatment

by Sajjad Iqbal

As an experienced pediatrician, Sajjad Iqbal, MD, had long enjoyed using his medical expertise to treat children's illnesses and alleviate their parents' concerns. Suddenly, however, he was on the other side of the divide.

As Iqbal began to battle severe facial paralysis, misguided and obstinate doctors became an obstacle to finding a correct diagnosis and treatment. Iqbal's doctors believed that he had Bell's palsy, a temporary, benign condition. But Iqbal rejected that theory. He knew enough about medicine and his own body to suspect a far more deadly cause-cancer of the parotid (salivary) glands.

Initially, Iqbal couldn't convince the so-called experts to listen and his doctors rushed forward with a flawed treatment plan including unnecessary surgery.

Given a 30 percent chance of living two years-he has survived 15 years, overcoming repeated recurrences of cancer by charting his own course of treatment.

In this extraordinary memoir, Iqbal recounts how he advocated for his health and relentlessly fought for a correct diagnosis. As he reveals how he unraveled this medical mystery, facing repeated setbacks, you will be inspired to take charge of your own healthcare. Iqbal's experiences convincingly show the importance of speaking up and pushing back against medical professionals' apathy and arrogance.

250 pages, Paperback

Published February 15, 2017

Reviews

[Lalarukh Ejaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. Not only because its an inspirational story of fighting against all odds but also because it is written down beautifully. The way the author takes you back and forth in the past and present keeps one turning pages for more. I especially appreciated the insightful use of simple metaphors to make a lay reader understand the medical terms and implications of what a cancer patients fight is all about. I wish it serves as a wake up call to all practicing doctors to not become complacent and supercilious in the knowledge they already have but keep pushing for more and challenging themselves to become better.
This is a story of hope, of being informed and of taking reins of your life in your own hands. Highly recommended!!

[Robin Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Iqbal’s poignant memoir is both a heartwarming testament to the beauty of life, and a powerful call to action for cancer patients and doctors to resist complacency by insisting on the best possible approaches for treatment. You’ll need only reflect back on the personal experiences Dr. Iqbal shares in Swimming Upstream to reinforce your own resilience and further your commitment to becoming a co-decision maker with your and your loved ones’ healthcare teams. In the author’s words, “Successful treatment of cancer requires a joint effort. Your doctors will do their job, but you, the patient, must do yours.” Once you become an empowered patient, you’ll have the tools not only to self-advocate, but to advocate on behalf of others as well. To me, that is profound inspiration.