'I was scared!' Sonali Bendre on cancer

The actor took to Instagram to share an empowering post on the dreaded disease.

Sonali Bendre's latest Instagram post has a powerful message for cancer survivors.

'World Cancer Day… who would have thought it would become such a thing... but it has!' she wrote.

'And just the mere mention of the C word brings dread in the hearts of anyone who hears it.

'We fear it so much that we'd rather not talk about it…which is why it's important to have a day where we pull out the band aid and help us deal with this disease.

Revealing her reaction on knowing that she suffered from cancer, Sonali revealed: 'I was scared too, but soon realised that burying my head in the sand was not the way to deal with this.

'And so...with the little experience I have had, I urge you all to take the time to understand it.

'There's more to cancer than being emotional or weak or even being called a fighter or a survivor.

'It requires you to study it, find out what works for you and to be diligent about your treatment.

'It requires days of strongly believing in oneself, of knowing that tomorrow will be better than today.

'It's taking a stand to not give in, no matter what. Most importantly, it is about living every day, and not just surviving. Just taking it #OneDayAtATime makes it easier to #SwitchOnTheSunshine.'

The actor, who was undergoing treatment for a high-grade cancer in New York, is back to work after a long sabbatical.

'I don't think words would do justice to how beautiful it feels to be back at work...to face the camera again and portray the range of emotions required,' she added in another post.