“My daughter is only six. She should be worried about homework and playtime, not hospitals and chemotherapy. She is bright and loves studying, but when her hair fell because of treatment, school became painful for her. Other children laughed, and slowly she stopped going. Now she wears a cap and returns only for exams, trying to be brave. Watching her withdraw into herself breaks me as a father. I am terrified of losing my only child.”— Rahul Agarwal, father of the beneficiary 

‘Our miracle child survived cancer once… now doctors say a bone marrow transplant is the only way to beat it again’

The six-year-old girl from Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, is the only child of Rahul Agarwal, who runs a small rented xerox shop, and his wife, Upasana, a homemaker. After losing their first baby to anemia days after birth, she became their miracle child. In early 2022, at just two years old, she fell critically ill. Doctors diagnosed hepatoblastoma a rare, aggressive cancer that had spread to her liver and lungs. After surgery and intensive chemotherapy, she recovered and even started school. But her battle is not over.

“We thought she had beaten cancer. We believed the worst was behind us. We had started our lives afresh and were looking forward to see our child grow healthy and happy. But little did we know that cancer would return after one and a half years. Now doctors have clearly told us that a bone marrow transplant is the only way she can survive.” — Rahul

‘She wants to be a doctor when she grows up so that she can treat sick other children like herself’

She is currently  in UKG and consistently performs well academically. Now, she goes to school only for examinations. On other days, homework is sent home and a teacher visits to teach her. Even then, she studies diligently and talks about becoming a doctor one day to help other children like her. She often pretends to examine her teddy bear, smiling through pain. What saddens her the most is not the treatment, but being unable to live a normal life like other children.

“She bears the injections and medicines quietly. But when she asks me why she cannot go to school every day like other children, I don’t know what to say. I tell her that she will soon be able to see her teachers and friends...despite knowing that we need to cross hurdles for that to happen” — Rahul

‘We have spent everything we had…we cannot afford the transplant that can save her’

The bone marrow transplant is estimated to cost at least INR 15 lakh...something that is completely out of their reach. Rahul and Upasana have already spent over INR 5 lakh by exhausting their savings and taking multiple loans from private sources. 
Rahul’s income from his small xerox shop barely covers rent and daily expenses. The family has no insurance and no financial support left. Members of their local community help with food and basic needs, but they cannot support such a large medical cost. Without urgent financial help, the transplant cannot go ahead.

“I don’t want money to decide my child’s fate. She has already fought more battles in six years than most people do in a lifetime. As a father, I am doing everything I can, but this is beyond me now. Please help me save her life and give her the chance to grow up, study, and live the childhood she has already lost.” — Rahul

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Financial Assistance & Scheme Details
Q: Does the family have private health insurance? 
A: No, the family does not have any private health insurance.

Q: Are they covered under Ayushman Bharat? 
A: No, the family is not covered under Ayushman Bharat.

Q: Have they received any government financial support or CM funds? 
A: No, they have not received any government financial assistance or CM funds.