Indian model Poonam Pandey sparked controversy last month after revealing that an Instagram post announcing her death had been nothing more than a publicity stunt designed to raise awareness about cervical cancer, leaving many questioning the role that celebrities can — and should — play in public health messaging.
“Deeply saddened to inform you that we have lost our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer,” read the since-deleted social media post, apparently written by the 33-year-old model’s management team. Her manager, Nikita Sharma, later confirmed the “death,” telling reporters that there was a “critical need for increased awareness and proactive measures against preventable diseases like cervical cancer.”
But 24 hours later, Pandey appeared in a video online, announcing that she had faked her own death to raise awareness of the disease and promote the HPV vaccine which can help to prevent it. “I am proud of what my death news has been able to achieve,” she told viewers.