The Lump She Almost Dismissed: Sangeeta Moorjani’s Journey from Diagnosis to Recovery to Thriver

It was supposed to be a work call.

Sangeeta Moorjani was in Pune, India, visiting from the Boston area and on the phone with her office back home. The conversation wasn’t going well, and at some point she decided to take a break and stretch.

That simple decision changed everything.

As she stretched, Moorjani put her hands on her body and felt a lump in her breast. It caught her attention, but cancer was hardly the first thing on her mind. She had had a mammogram just two months earlier, and everything had been fine.

Still, she called her physician in Boston the next day.

Her doctors advised her to get it checked while she was still in India. A mammogram and an MRI, they suggested.

She did.

The results were not what anyone expected. Moorjani was diagnosed with breast cancer. The lump was approximately five centimeters.

She returned to Boston and began a journey that would take her through chemotherapy, surgery and radiation — and eventually into recovery and a new chapter she describes not simply as surviving, but thriving.

In “Face-to-Face with Sangeeta Moorjani,” she speaks openly about the experience: the shock of finding out she had cancer despite a recent clear mammogram, the physical and emotional realities of treatment, the long road back to health and what life looks like afterward.

But there is another important part of Moorjani’s story.

She talks about becoming a trhiver, too.

Her experience as a cancer patient gave her a different understanding of what it means to stand beside someone going through treatment. Throughout her own journey, she had a remarkable support system of her own. Her husband, Rajesh, accompanied her to her hospital visits and treatments. Her children, mother, brother, extended family and friends were there for her in ways both big and small.

That circle of support became an essential part of her recovery — and helped shape the way she now thinks about supporting others.

Moorjani considers herself a global citizen, and her story reflects that.

Born in India, she spent many years in Dubai, returned to India for college, moved to Toronto and eventually settled in the Boston area, where she and her husband have called Andover and Boston home for decades. Together, they raised their two children, who are now adults, along with their beloved puppy, Yogi.

Moving between countries and cultures has shaped Moorjani’s outlook on life. She embraces change, stays curious and enjoys exploring new places, ideas and experiences. Travel is important to her, but so is staying closely connected to family.

She grew up in a small, close-knit family with her parents and brother. Her parents shared their life experiences with their children, and that sense of connection has stayed with Moorjani. Even now, although her brother lives in Singapore and she is in Massachusetts, the two speak almost every day.

When cancer entered her life, that family connection became even more meaningful.

Moorjani has spent more than 25 years in financial services, a career that began somewhat unexpectedly.

After earning her MBA, she received a lucrative job offer from Citibank and was drawn to the service aspect of the industry. What started without a carefully mapped-out career plan became a profession she has genuinely enjoyed.

After several years with Citibank in Toronto, she joined Fidelity Investments, where she has spent more than 25 years in a variety of leadership roles, working with individual customers and institutions.

Today, Moorjani leads the business at Fidelity that serves not-for-profit institutions. Her team works with more than 800 clients and approximately one million employees across the United States, helping employers provide benefits that can attract and retain talent while helping employees make the most of those benefits.

That same people-centered perspective comes through in her reflections on cancer.

Moorjani does not shy away from the difficult parts of her experience. She talks about diagnosis, treatment and recovery honestly, but her story does not end when the treatment does.

There is life after cancer.

There is also a different way of looking at life after cancer.

Her journey has taken her from being a patient to becoming someone who can offer perspective and support to others facing the disease. She speaks thoughtfully about the role of loved ones and the importance of being there — not just for the patient, but for everyone navigating the experience alongside them.

For those going through cancer, and for their families and friends, Moorjani offers insights drawn from having lived through it herself.

Her message is ultimately about paying attention, asking questions, advocating for yourself, accepting help and recognizing the value of the people who walk beside you.