In this 45‑minute inspirational presentation delivered at the IAL/IEL Annual Conference on June 13, 2020, Shrenik Shah (also known as “Sound of Silence”) shares his 23‑year journey from a stage‑4A larynx cancer diagnosis in 1997 to becoming a global cancer‑survivor advocate, counselor, and professional speaker. He opens with a warm multilingual welcome, then recounts his massive nine‑hour surgery, tracheostomy, and the loss of his natural voice, describing how he adapted to communication through an electronic device he likens to a “second spouse.” Shah outlines his 35‑year colour‑export business, emphasizing that colour is a metaphor for adding vibrancy to others’ lives. He details his extensive outreach: speaking at 35 countries, receiving awards from Indian state governments, participating in World Cancer Survivor Day events, anchoring live telecasts that reached 2.5 million viewers, and teaching yoga to survivors at UCL. Throughout, he stresses mindfulness, gratitude, and turning disability into ability, offering practical advice on returning to work, quitting tobacco, and embracing a “bridge” between death and life built on acceptance, courage, confidence, problem‑solving, and gratitude. Shah concludes by promoting his e‑book, inviting contact via social media, and dedicating his success to family, especially his wife Neelam, and the broader survivor community.
Chapters
Good morning, everyone. This is Shrenik Shah, learning to know me and joining earlier from India. I would like you to know the other name of the learning to know me—that is sound of silence—and so sound of silence, and that is equal to. मेरी जन्मी आईएल एंड माय बर्थ ईयर इज़ दी सेम दैट 1952 इट इज़ अ वंडरफुल कॉन्फ़िडेंस दैट आईएल एंड माय बर्थ ईयर इज़ दी सेम सो लेट मी गिव यू अ वार्म वेलकम To all IELTS members and Atlas team, they have been a wonderful people. They have helped me out for this presentation like anything. So I would like to welcome you all with this bouquet of flowers to build a beautiful morning beyond boundaries. Uh, while, while I was preparing this slide, uh, I was not knowing that 13th June, on which day I have to give presentations, that's going to be a unique number. Like, this is 13th June, that's 22nd, that's my 22nd year, 9 months, and Fine, thanks. Of 30th June 2020. And friends, once again, I would like to welcome you all, and I would love to bid a beautiful morning beyond boundaries. So get on board and let's have a wonderful time at IEL Annual Conference of June 2020. Friends, uh, I'm into color business, that is exporting colors for textile, leather, paper, and ink. And I'm exporting for last 35 years, so colors are part of my life. I would say colors, the business of colors is Flowing in my blood, and therefore I would like to add more colors in your life through this presentation. And let me add some flavors and fragrance so that you know life flows much better than we want you wanted to be. So moment. Welcome once again with the bouquet of flowers and colors all around you. Actually, the word cancer was absolutely out of my syllabus before 1997 when I got diagnosed with larynx cancer in stage 4A. But you know, of course, uh, I lost my lyrics. But then, you know, the flight to zero is incredible, wonderful. And, uh, you know, while we are regretting losing the voice, the nature, the ability of speaking naturally I believe that God put me in this present in this case. I could, I could turn out the life of my younger brother from disability to ability, and now I'm making the world the world. So I'm grateful to the great God. For giving me life 2.0 on September 5th, 1987. It was massive surgery, wide field, and, uh, of course, uh, the cancer surgeon was too nice, too kind, and too intelligent to perform the tracheostomy in first stage, followed by biopsy, and Then you know, after the pathology report came with the cancer in last stage, a week later, that is on 5th September, the massive surgery of about 9 hours was done. So I am grateful to God. On the, on the important note, I would like to mention that my nose is now like an ornament. अजी अध्यनंद, I'm quite grateful दीदी इंडिया आयल और होमरिंग मी डेरियल आउटलिविंग लाइफ ओवर लास्ट ईयर एंड सो थैंक यू वेरी मच। सो अजी सेकंड एंड टुडे आई एम हियर टू शोकेस द इलेक्ट्रिक लाइफ to zero after cancer in 23rd year. As I said earlier, today is 22nd year, 9 months and 9 days. What a coincidence by the great God of giving presentation for the IEL family members. As you can see, this is dedicated to the will to win, committed to the will to win. And I'm living in the moment. It is my relentless pursuit to touch lives of 1 million people globally. And as you can see pretty well on the screen, there is a beautiful life even after cancer. Friends, our pictures makes thousand words, but watching, listening me live, that speaks more than million words. And I'm today, I'm here to showcase the LHC life after cancer. So I'm having a very great opportunity to coordinate, to cooperate, and to build beautiful bonding with all of you. Especially the medical professionals, the fellow laryngotomists, and of course speech-language therapists. I must admire the, the function, the abilities of SLAs globally. If any woman, woman make Yes. Is asked not to speak for an hour or 2 or 3 or maybe for a week, how frustrating the life it would be. And so look at the life of laryngotomy when they lost the entire ability of speaking. They speaking— lost the ability of speaking. नेचुरली एंड आई थिंक दे वुड बी स्पीकिंग विद इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स और टीवी फॉर इस ऑपरेशन। सो आई मुस्ट से दैट इज़ डेफिनेटली अ बिट ऑफ़ लाइफ इवन आफ्टर कैंसर इफ़ दैट इज़ अ विल टू बीन दैट इज़ अ कमेंट एट आवर एंड यू कैन सी द ऑडिट ऑफ़ एसवीजी कैंसर कैंड This is one of the largest cancer hospitals. They got 25 cancer centers around India. And on 7th of June, that is World Cancer Survivor Day, they acknowledge my activities for the cancer community. And you can pretty well read And as I'm remembering, I'm having— I was having a privilege that I was the only person featured from India with this acknowledgement. See these 2 people in front of you. One is 1986 and the next one is 1997. You can see the difference with the beard and without beard. And in fact, I'm into international business, been to 35 countries, more than 150 overseas trips from 1986 till I have undergone the, the massive surgery and vaginotomy. Of course, even today I'm working 10 hours a day, and at the same time I'm counseling cancer patients and giving guidance to caregivers. And well, I personally have been a huge privilege to connect with brilliant oncologists globally. As I said earlier, The another name of learning channel is Sound of Silence, and I'm leading quality life 2.0 as a counselor, as a professional inspiration speaker using clinical learning since 1997. So this is my unique voice, listening voice, and unique identity. And my precious, most precious treasure for the lifetime. During too many of my presentations, I'm always announcing or giving a statement that this electronics is like my second spouse in my one house. If I want to speak, I have to hold this mouse in my, in my palm. I have to get it placed under my chin, and unless I don't place it under my chin, I cannot speak. So this is as good as my second mouse. This lingual laryngotomy and cancer survival. I have been truly blessed, 360-degree blessed, by a number of cancer survivors, caregivers, and they are almost unknown faces. Even at times I don't remember their names, but I enjoy counseling. I— and that helped me out. To build a good image beyond boundaries. And as you can see clearly this slide, I would like to— I would like you to suggest that dedicate all of your time to build your image prominent, like people can see it as a lipstick on the lips. So as I said earlier, as a laryngotomy, I am from disabled to enabled. My cancer healing journey started on 5th September as a laryngotomy with my raising voice and identity and the premiere asset for the lifetime. And this is, I would say, for me, this is raising in disguise. That I need not have to announce my name once I speak to somebody, and they can certainly remember my name, and I need not have to give my, my identity or rather announce my identity once again. Uh, I would like to admit one thing, that I really don't know how to play chess, and The topics which are not being taught in our university, I learned from university of experience. And so you must do, you must do listen me somewhere. You must do see my slide somewhere. So man, I'm I'm understanding. And I will fight for a cancer-free world. This is one of the largest cancer institutes in India, and it made in large more than since 1960s, you know, until 2017. I was, I was the first सवाइवर वो वाज इनवाइटेड तू गिव प्रेजेंटेशन इन साइज ऑफ़ दी हॉस्पिटल इन इन इन ऑफ़ द वर्ल्ड ऑन वर्ल्ड डेडनिक कैंसर डे सो दिस वाज इन डेट आयोज प्रिविलेज फॉर मी एस ऑफ़ लेट आयोज रिलाइज्ड दैट दी मेडिकल स्टूडेंट्स They are going to play key role on next 3 to 4 decades, for another 3, 4 decades after completing their masters, and they will be treating the patients. So I decided to educate and to interact with them, uh, to follow along with the medicine. Treatment, giving a moderate amount to the patients that will make a lot of difference. And this was one of my presentations at Vijay Medical College. And you must have seen my YouTube video earlier, so this is Like on my presentation in Trondheim, and you can play whatever you like. As a cancer survivor, cancer winner, I'm not going to quit until I'm living. This was last year. That was in 2019. I was invited to speak. Again for International World Day of Neck Cancer Conference that was in Brighton in November. So this is the slide and picture image from my presentation in Brighton, UK last year. This is a very important one. I was invited by the state government. Of our country, Gujarat State, for reaching out through live telecast. And here again, I was the first ever to invited to anchor the entire event. And with the help of my 5 oncologists, संजीवन रेडिएशन पीडियाट्री एंड दी अदर ऑनकोलॉजिस्ट्स वी डिड अनलाइव प्रेजेंटेशन अबाउट कैंसर अवेनेज प्रीवेंशन एंड वी हैव कवर्ड 2.5 मिलियन पीपल थ्रू लाइव टेलीकास्ट सो दिस वाज़ आउट ऑफ़ व्हाट मोनोपर्चमिटी फॉर मी To accomplish my mission. Last year I was in London for 6 months, and that was the annual conference in London. And you can see all the ladies Chaturthi singing out. So I was, I was one of the invitees. And along with the others, parallel parallel economies we did a lot of singing. My activity for cancer community is activities are always acknowledged in India and abroad. This was the award given by the Chief Minister of our state of Gujarat. Again, this was the award I was given in Mumbai by the wife of Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He's the man who saved my life. He did the tracheostomy in first place, followed by wife will plan it to me. And I would like you to read his comment. Um, uh, I, I think, well, that you know Instead of I talk about what he had commented, I would like you to read it out all by yourself. So in leading quality life after cancer, the support from the family, support from my wife, that made a lot of difference in my life and one of the key reasons Of what I am today, the major credit goes to my wife, Neelam. So as I said in my earlier slide, surround yourself with the only people who are going to lift you higher. And I am the lucky guy, and you can see me live through this presentation. So, uh, heads up to my wife. Friends, going back to work after cancer diagnosis and treatment, that makes a lot of sense. And for that, you need to have mindfulness and irrespective of any disability, if you are very well— if you are very well prepared And committed, nobody can stop you to go back to work. And don't, don't bother about how you look. Whatever your disability, you must change. You must turn your disability into ability, and you will never find any obstacle in the life at all. So, game on! Maintaining your mindfulness and be fearless all the time. I mean, if you have saved your life by battling cancer, then you know there is no point or there is no reason to keep any kind of fear at all and, and try to live in the moment. That should not be neglected for the worst, and don't worry about the future. Don't forget that all cancer survivors are Hollywood heroes. They don't need any direction. They don't need any releases. They can sing themselves. They can play everything they want. They can act, and that is— there is no acting. It is a real life performance every day. They sleep with the enemy. 24/7 and meeting the enemy every single morning. So that's life all about. So, well, I mean, well, we have been given, uh, a driving license, but if we don't stop at the red light, you are going to meet with an accident. So same is the case with the negativity. मोड़ डाउट दी नेगेटिविटी दें और लेट इट बी येलो लाइट तू ग्रीन लाइट एंड यू कैन सेंट्रली लीड क्वालिटी लाइफ विथ टोटल माइंडफुलनेस। आह, एज यू मस्ट हैव सीन इन माय प्रीवियस इन माय वीडियो कैंसरी लाइक अ स्टैलियन। आइडर यू राइड दी स्टैलियन एल्स चैनल इस पॉइंट तू राइड ऑन य You need to be smart and you need to decide how you would like to proceed the life. Uh, are you just— uh, yeah, in this slide you can see the, the more pillars of leading the electric life after cancer. What you need to do is you need to make A bridge between dead and alive with the pillars of acceptance, courage, confidence, and trouble-solving, and always the bridge with the gratitude, gratitude of everybody who has played key role in battling your cancer fight. So this is my commitment, this is my dedication. I'm never going to give up, and I will fight back with every breath I have. And you can say I am doing yoga as a metaphor. I taught the yoga to some of the cancer survivors at UCL Dennis in London, one of the premier universities. Well, you all are quite Uh, 5 days with this. So ignoring the disease is the worst enemy. And oncologists, they are the best, you know, uh, for giving you momentum in your life. God, trust them. Don't ignore and follow them by all means. And you, you can be from cancer patient to survival to a winner. These are known facts of quitting tobacco, smoking, and stuff like this. These are one of— these are one of the— some of the key reasons of oral head and neck cancer. So Try to study out and stop smoking and use of tobacco all around you. And this is the best gift to your family, to your spouse, to your children. So, um, I'm a professional inspirational speaker and counselor. Anybody would like to bring back my life to follow my Instagram, catch up with me, and on Facebook and Instagram. And, uh, at times we always feel that, okay, there is no way out. But remember, when you're enjoying with all your possibilities Remember this, you never have lost everything from your life. Don't ever give up the battle, and the day would not be far away when you can be a winner as you were earlier. So launching my dream project in soon, and you've seen this that my ebook is already launched, and you can now read it as an ebook as well as paperback format. Happy reading, and I would request to share your review so that you know more and more people get the benefit of reading out my book. So you can read it out. Come join me to help you to build a bridge between Eden and Earth. And once you reach— once you build the bridge between Eden and Earth, uh, you will never have to drop back. Then even God will be always there to support you all the way. So तो मैं भी फेलेस। नेक्स्ट। फ्रेंड्स, थैंक यू वेरी मच। तो आई बिलीव यू मस्त हैव एन्जॉय्ड माय प्रेजेंटेशन सो मार, एंड इफ आई कैन बी ऑफ एनी गाइडेंस, प्लीज Feel free to get in touch with me through various social media and email, whatever you feel comfortable with. And let me tell you one thing. At the end of this presentation, I bow down to all cancer survivors, caregivers, For blessing me. I am 360 degrees surrounded with all their support and blessings. Thank you very much.
