He began his Life 2.0 towards normalcy by using pen & paper to communicate until December 1997. Then he started practicing speaking with the aid of an electrolarynx.
In those days (i.e. in 1997), the SLP/SLT services were not available & he had to learn to speak with this new device all by himself. After about a week of practicing, a sweet spot was located under his chin from where audible sounds were getting generated.
While speaking in public with his differently enabled voice, he was often taken aback by incidents when people would run away from him as they seemed to be scared of his new machine-enabled sound.
At that time, he was the only earning member of the family. As an Marketing expert in Exports segment , Mr. Shrenik had the requisite cognition to accept this mid-life crisis & challenge of rejection. But he continued speaking with his newfound voice, each time with more audacity and greater self-confidence.
Shrenik is deeply grateful for his family, which has been his fulcrum and buttress. His wife Nilam (42), and sons, Maulik (21) & Ankit (19) have been unconditionally supportive, and so has been his cancer surgeon.
For the five years after surgery, he stayed away from closed public places like theaters, auditoriums, restaurants & avoided passive smoking & kept visiting his surgeon regularly for follow-ups.
He resumed his international business travels alone and unchaperoned, while meeting customers, and speaking to them over the phone. This way he reconfigured the managing of his business and successfully resurrected it.
His "Will to Win" approach was always consistently supported by a dedicated team of doctors who left no stone unturned to aid his fight against the disease.
Mr. Shrenik Shah buoyantly chuckles as he says - "The best advantage, of my differently enabled voice, is, the moment, I start speaking over the phone, I am not required to announce my name, Shrenik Shah which is my unique identity & asset for a lifetime.”
In 2011, after almost a decade of managing his business, Shrenik began counseling the Head & Neck Cancer patients in private hospitals for 3 days a week. This made him gain a lot of publicity by the word of mouth. His patients, caregivers started reaching out through various social media platforms.Till date, he has counseled over 30,000 patients.
During his book launch event, he was straightaway invited to address a huge audience in auditorium of more than 500 people, comprising especially medical professionals & super specialists. Eversince he experienced an added momentum and thrust to his talk-shows, whether online or in propria persona.
His relentless pursuit to touch the hearts of millions of people from all walks of life through his unique and power-packed Motivational Talk, serves as a fuel to drive his vital life energies.
Shrenik claims that in the aftermath of his victory against Cancer, he has learned a lot from none other than the “University of experience & living”! In other words, his own life has been his message as well as his guru.
His life taught him the virtues of Acceptance, Courage, Confidence, Troubleshooting & he mastered the art of living in the moment.
“I express deep gratitude to one & all who were, are & will be part of my Cancer journey.
I must say, caregivers are the backbone & without them, the journey is incomplete.” - says Mr. Shah.
Shrenik's life odyssey was featured in a coffee table book titled ‘10/10 Immersive Narratives of 10 Cancer Winners’ (by Ahmedabad Cancer Foundation) in July 2016, in the very first chapter, under the heading – "I AM HERE TO STAY".
His gratefulness has no bounds, as he says every time - “I am grateful to God for giving me a bonus life 2.0. I spend every moment of life without any regret and never seeking sympathy.”
Shrenik is well-connected with National & International Oncologists, Presidents of IFHNOS, USA & FHNOS, India, President of UICC, Geneva & President of Asian Society of Head & Neck Oncology & more than 30k Cancer patients & caregivers of many Cancer support groups. He feels immensely privileged to guide and motivate.
In the role of a global patient leader & motivational speaker, he has given numerous professional live presentations with slides, in India & abroad covering and emphasizing QOL after cancer.
Mr. Shrenik Shah has delivered extensive live talk shows and has built a commendable image within the oncology circuit worldwide. He has a huge social media presence across all popular key platforms.
Not only that, but he has accomplished more than100 live & virtual talk shows during pandemic & 3 video recordings & 6 back to back live interviews with one on TV news channel for World Cancer Day 4th February 2021 & received grand appreciations from Union of International Cancer Control, Geneva.
In October 2020, he conceptualized & launched Facebook 1:1 exclusive interview & talk shows e-health series, by inviting distinguished medical professionals to bridge the gap between patients & Doctors for early diagnosis, timely treatments & saving precious lives. He has completed 18 episodes to date with huge viewership & many more episodes are scheduled to be aired.
Mr. Shrenik Shah is now part of one of the team members with a Distinct voice among 70 global influencers of the "International Institute of Influencers" platform.
Mr. Shrenik Shah has recently been Nominated for :Wegohealth2021 "Patient leader hero" award & also for more than 10 other categories. He has gained nominations in the following list of categories:
1. Advocating for Another, 2. Best in Show: Blog, 3. Best in Show: Community, 4. Best in Show: Facebook, 5. Best in Show: Instagram, 6. Best in Show: YouTube, 7. Best Kept Secret, 8. Best Team Performance, 9. Healthcare Collaborator, 10. Hilarious Patient Leader, 11. Lifetime Achievement, 12. Patient Leader Hero, 13. Rookie of the Year
https://www.wegohealth.com/ShrenikShah2110/awards
(“WEGO Health Activist Awards,” the WEGO Health Awards embody the mission of WEGO Health - to empower Patient Leaders. WEGO Health, Boston, USA, are the world’s largest network of Patient Leaders, working across virtually all health conditions and topics.)