20 year old Vivek says he never thought living apart from his sister would be so hard. His sister- 21 year old Komal is in Mumbai. She has been taking chemotherapy treatment since January 2017.

43 year old Suresh Kumar is an advocate in Kanpur. He has been married to Usha for 22 years. The couple’s two children Vivek and Komal are very close, as they are only a year apart in age. This small and happy family never thought that they would face such trying times.

Komal always had stomach pain, even as a child. It was diagnosed at gas. In late 2015, when she started having stomach pain, she ignored it, thinking it was gas again. This time, it was something more serious- ovarian cancer.

Komal was in her final year of B.Sc in May 2016, when she underwent surgery for the cyst in her ovaries. After the operation, the family thought their struggles were over. A few months later, the pain started again.

They consulted doctors again in Kanpur. Doctors and nurses urged the family for a month that everything was alright. They said that Komal was imagining the pain. After a month, Komal’s legs had begun to swell, and she had liquids in her stomach. She was then diagnosed with further cysts in her ovaries.

Komal and her parents decided to move to Mumbai for better treatment. They admitted Komal in Tata Memorial Center, where she now takes chemotherapy treatments once a week. Suresh and Usha are with her in Mumbai. Her brother Vivek has to stay in Kanpur as he is in his second year of engineering and admissions are starting.

Suresh and his family have exhausted all their savings. They have spent over 13 lakhs on their daughter’s treatment. Suresh has not been working since January 2017. The family stays in a rented house in Kanpur- but they also pay for a small cramped house in Mumbai.