At a World Cancer Day event, Hina Khan took the stage to address something we don’t talk about enough—the way people react when their medical test results come back normal. With teary eyes, she urged everyone to be grateful instead of questioning why they had to take the tests in the first place. “Ask people like me who have to deal with a cancer diagnosis. It shakes your whole world,” she said. She went on to explain how a single diagnosis fills you with so much fear and uncertainty that it's gets difficult to function normally.

She's right. We have become so skeptical of the healthcare system that we sometimes fail to see the bigger picture. There is a growing tendency to assume that doctors prescribe tests just to make money, but that is not always the case. Yes, unnecessary tests happen, but so do necessary ones that save lives. The problem arises when people avoid tests altogether out of fear or mistrust.

The truth is, early diagnosis makes all the difference. Many serious illnesses, including cancer, can be treated more effectively if caught early. But delayed diagnosis makes everything overcomplicated. What could have been a manageable health issue turns into something far more difficult to treat, sometimes even irreversible.

A lot of doctors have also said that many times patients, especially elderly women in families, avoid medical tests due to their mindset that they shouldn’t waste the family's money. They don’t understand that timely intervention is better than delayed diagnosis and how much it increases expenses in the long run.

I remember one time during an interview with a doctor, I had visited an oncology unit. I spoke to an elderly lady who was patiently waiting for her husband to finish his chemotherapy. I asked her in a comforting manner how her husband was diagnosed with cancer, and she said doctors kept dismissing his symptoms, but he just knew. He forced his doctor for a scan, and there they found cancer. His body was alerting him, and he was smart to not ignore the symptoms.

Instead of dreading tests, let us shift our perspective. Regular checkups matter. If something feels off, don’t ignore it. Your body has a way of signaling when something isn’t right, listen to it. Doctors might miss a diagnosis, but your body won’t stop sending signs. Pay attention, act early, and be grateful when the results say you’re fine. Because trust me, that’s the best news you can get.

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