Sharib Hashmi’s wife Nasreen’s cancer relapses for the sixth time: ‘It has spread everywhere’

‘He broke down after hearing the diagnosis’

Recalling the day she was diagnosed, Nasreen shared that Sharib was supposed to go out for a lunch with the team of The Family Man when her biopsy report arrived.

“Back in 2018, I was diagnosed with oral cancer after a biopsy. I remember returning home with the report while he was on his way to a lunch. I asked him if it was important for him to go, and he said the entire Family Man team was meeting. So I told him to go and said we would talk once he came back,” she recalled.

But halfway through the journey, Sharib suddenly remembered that her reports were due that day and rushed back home.

“When he came home, I told him what the report said, and he broke down. I was the one consoling him, telling him not to worry and that everything would be fine. He was very shaken,” Nasreen said.

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‘Nasreen became the emotional anchor’

Sharib Hashmi admitted that despite being the one who needed support, Nasreen became the emotional anchor for everyone around her.

“The person who needed support was the one supporting all of us. She has undergone five surgeries so far. There have been five relapses, and now the cancer has returned for the sixth time. This time, it has spread everywhere. Her treatment is currently ongoing, and naturally a lot of thoughts come to your mind,” he shared.

He further added that Nasreen’s resilience gave strength to the entire family.

“Her cancer is extremely aggressive, which is why it keeps relapsing. But despite that, she has dealt with it with immense courage. She fights so strongly that all of us have become fighters alongside her.”

Photo: Instagram/Sharib Hashmi

‘He never left the hospital’

Nasreen also spoke about how Sharib stood by her throughout every hospital visit and surgery.

“No matter how busy he was or whether he had a shoot, he somehow always managed to reach the hospital. From the time we got admitted till discharge, he would sit there with his bag and refuse to move,” she said.

She recalled how even when people suggested that he go home and rest, Sharib would refuse. “So many people would tell him, ‘Please go home and rest for a while,’ but he would always say, ‘No, I am not leaving this place.’ He would not move from the hospital at all.”

Having him constantly by her side brought her comfort during the most difficult periods of treatment.

“It always made me feel better knowing he was there. There was a sense of reassurance because he stood by me through everything. In so many ways, he has always been there for me.”

‘Five surgeries changed my face’

Nasreen also spoke about the emotional and financial toll of the long battle with cancer. “This journey and treatment are very long. It is not a cakewalk. The cancer relapses every one-and-a-half years, and every time, a huge amount of money goes into treatment. It creates a massive dent financially when you have to bear all the medical expenses,” she said.

Praising Sharib for managing the expenses without borrowing money, she added, “He managed my entire treatment without borrowing even a single rupee from anyone, and that means a lot to me.”

Nasreen also admitted that the repeated surgeries deeply affected her emotionally.

“I won’t deny that there are days when it becomes very difficult. For a woman, going through five surgeries on the face, seeing your face change so much, and having speech difficulties — it affects you deeply. Sometimes I look at my old pictures and think, ‘I was so beautiful, and now I look so different.’”

Yet despite everything, she said she remains grateful for life and family.

“But I am very confident about myself, and the opinion people have about me matters a lot. When I look at things in hindsight, I realise that at least I am alive, I am happy with my family, and after a point, all these things stop mattering.”

Sharib and Nasreen tied the knot on December 27, 2003, and are parents to two children — a daughter and a son.

This account shares a personal journey of health and resilience for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider regarding a medical condition, and never disregard professional advice or delay seeking it because of something read here.