Actress Sonali Bendre, who returned to Mumbai after undergoing treatment for cancer recently, shared a heartwarming note for her elder sister Rupa, who was "involved in the journey" from the tome she was diagnosed with the disease. She started her note with a quote by Pam Brown -an Australian poet. "An older sister is a friend and a defender - a listener, conspirator, a counselor and a sharer of delights. And sorrows too," Sonali Bendre wrote. Sonali Bendre accompanied the note with a set of pictures of herself with her elder sister from the time they were in the Big Apple for her treatment. "She dropped everything in a heartbeat to be with me on this journey. She has been my rock... my person.. Rupa Tai was involved in my journey from when I was diagnosed to the time I was deciding the course of treatment to packing her bags and coming with me to New York. She was there from get-go," Sonali Bendre wrote.
Sonali Bendre flew off to the Big Apple in July this year right after being diagnosed with metastatic cancer. Sonali further described in her post how her sister "seamlessly transformed from one role to another". "Her transition from one role to another was seamless. A dictator when I needed to ear right or take my medicines or an empathetic counselor alternating between giving advice and offering silent support when all I needed was to be alone with my thoughts. She was around. She was with me and by me, at all times," read an excerpt from her post dedicated to her elder sister.
Indeed, Sonali shares a "special" bond with her sister and she added that she will "forever be indebted" to her. "Sisters share a special relationship. We are literally an extension of each other. For bad days, her presence did the trick and the good days... well, it just got better! We have now returned home - to our respective families and lives, but us together in New York for those six months... I am forever indebted," she wrote.
On Monday, pictures of Sonali and her filmmaker husband Goldie Behl navigating the airport hand-in-hand sent the Internet into a tizzy. Speaking to news agency ANI , Goldie Behl had said: "Sonali is doing good. She is back for good. She is recovering very well. For now, treatment has ended. But the disease can come back so regular check-ups will be done."
Just a day before landing in Mumbai, Sonali shared a heart-wrenching note on Instagram, in which she wrote she's eagerly looking forward to be with her friends and family in Mumbai again: "I'm on my way back to where my heart is. It's a feeling I can't describe in words but I'm going to try. It's the joy to see my family and friends again, the excitement to do what I love and mainly the gratitude for the journey I've had up until this moment." Sussanne Khan was among those who commented to say that they can't wait to welcome her back: "Can't wait to see you, my warrior princess. Love you too much. We await you with 'a head full of dreams'."
Soon after Sonali Bendre touched down in Mumbai, best friends Sussanne Khan and Gayatri Joshi paid a visit to the actress. Sussanne Khan and Gayatri often flew to New York to hang out with Sonali.
