Lisa Ray to walk the red carpet at Toronto Film Festival

Cancer-stricken Lisa Ray, who has shown commendable courage in the face of adversity, will be making her first public appearance ever since she revealed about her illness. The lady will come to the posh Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, where she will walk the red carpet with Deepa Mehta and her brother for the Gala premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. Lisa has just winded up a - ‘Cooking With Stella’ with Deepa’s brother Dilip Mehta.

Director Deepa Mehta, who worked with the actress for ‘Water’ said, “I knew about her illness two months ago. She told me. It was hard to believe. She wanted to keep it very private, and rightly so. Only her close friends and family knew. Which is why when Lisa blogged about her illness, I was surprised. It was very courageous of her. I think she decided that by coming out in the open about the illness she would not only be able confront and overcome the sad situation, but also encourage others in similarly troubled spaces to fight and win over their illness.”

“I met her last a few weeks ago. She is the epitome of grace under pressure. Truly exemplary! We had fun doing the Bollywood/Hollywood film. As for ‘Water’, no one seemed to believe she could pull off the role of a Hindi widow in the 1930s. But she did,” Deepa further said.

“We’re looking at a woman who is a portrait of courage. She will do the red carpet proud,” says Deepa passionately. “I remember when Lisa was shooting for ‘Cooking With Stella’ she was having so much fun with all of us. There was no sign of the illness. The only outward manifestation of the crisis to come was her loss of appetite. I remember telling her on the sets, ‘Lisa, you aren’t eating anything.’ She’s going to defeat this crisis. Lisa is a fighter.”

What matters in a fight is the spirit and Lisa Ray is an ideal fighter!

Lisa Ray suffering from Sancer

Celebrated for her cosmopolitan looks, model and actress Lisa Ray is suffering from Multiple Myeloma - an incurable cancer of White Blood Cells. The svelte beauty has shared this news in her blog - ‘The Yellow Diaries’ and is coming to terms with the terrible reality.

Devastated by the revelation, friends and colleagues of Lisa are in a state of complete shock. According to Vikram Bhatt, the director of ‘Kasoor,’ which marked the debut of Lisa in Bollywood said, “I am in complete shock, I’m going to check on her immediately.”

According to Shamim Sarif, the director of Lisa’s upcoming flick ‘I Can’t Think Straight’ tweets, “I have known since her diagnosis but at this point Lisa wants to truly raise awareness and funding to make sure this incurable disease finds a cure.”

While talking about her depleting health, an inconsolable Lisa blogs, “I’ve started this blog to give people an insight into my life,” she wrote. “The yellow diaries will be a place where I write about my personal journey.”

On 8th September, Lisa posted, “I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma on June 23rd. Started my first cycle of treatment July 2nd. Notlong ago.”

The actress continued, “For me, it was a relief to hear what was wrong. The plasma cells in my bone marrow were rampaging, multiplying, squeezing out the red blood cells and it was time to begin doing something about it. I was also tired of being tired all the time. And you just know when something is not kosher with your body. So when I sat there with Bobcat - my life partner and reservoir of Yellow – and got the news I didn’t react and I didn’t cry. I’m an actress, believe me, I can be dramatic. Not just then though.”

Incidentally, the actress decided to get a medical checkup only, “a few months ago, my bone marrow started sending me messages. I was always exhausted, pale, drained. The lack of oxygen made me a serial yawner and spacier than a displaced Czarina. Little did I know, but my hemoglobin had fallen to levels where even a dedicated Blood sucker would turn their thoughts to revival. I got a routine blood test and the results sent me to the hospital for a blood transfusion.”

“And then I stopped travelling and returned to Canada. Got myself tested by Dr Susy Lin, landed in emergency and eventually got full membership into the Cancer Club. That’s how I found out I have Multiple Myeloma.”

Lisa Ray inaugurates Rado Store