Bollywood's star fakes death to spotlight cervical cancer crisis

Fans of the Indian actress Poonam Pandey were left in shock after a post appeared on the star's Instagram on Friday, informing them that she had lost her battle with cervical cancer. Fans quickly offered their condolences to her family; however, some harboured suspicions of a conspiracy. In photos posted just before this death notice, Poonam Pandey seemed to be in good health and full of vitality, which was at odds with the typical suffering appearance of late-stage cancer patients.

The day after sharing the hoax of her death on Instagram, Poonam Pandey released a video explaining her scheme. The actress clarified that she was very much alive, but tragically, thousands of women couldn't say the same. Through her stunt, the celebrity hoped to draw attention to the issue of cervical cancer detectability. Pandey underscored the importance of the HPV vaccination - for the human papillomavirus - which can lead to cervical cancer, among other diseases.

In a separate video on Instagram, the artist apologised to those who were hurt by the false information about her death. She explained that her objective was to give everyone a shock. The actress achieved the intended effect: a discussion about cervical cancer has now sparked in both Indian and global media - the outcome she cared about most.

The timing of Poonam Pandey's stunt - which took place at the turn of January and February - was not coincidental, as January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. It is estimated that over 3,000 women die from this cancer each year in Poland alone. The WHO reports that more than 604,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2020, and 342,000 of these women tragically lost their lives to the disease.

Cervical cancer can be sent into remission if diagnosed and treated early enough. Gynaecologists worldwide recommend women to have a pap smear every two years. Doctors also strongly encourage HPV vaccinations, which can significantly lower the risk of infection.