The night walks, after the dinner with her father were always little Anushka’s favourite. She used to talk about a million things to her father as they used to gaze at the stars together. Anushka dreamt of watching those stars through a telescope, learning more about them when she grew older. But now she doesn’t feel like going out at all. She fears that people will laugh at her when they find out that she has no hair left on her head due to the strong chemotherapy she is undergoing to fight her cancer. Her father, Naba Gopal sheds tears of despair as he is unable to continue his daughter’s treatment despite selling all his wife’s jewellery and taking huge loans from moneylenders. 

Anushka was just 9 years when cancer stealthily crept into her life

Little Anushka has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It is a cancer of the lymphatic system that is part of the immune system. The cells in the lymphatic system grow abnormally and may spread beyond it.
 

“Three years back we noticed a swelling near Anushka’s groin. It was painless but my wife, Shefali and I still decided to take her to the hospital. The doctors immediately admitted her and conducted some tests. When the doctors explained to us the test results, our entire world turned topsy turvy. My little daughter, who was playful and happy only few days back, was now down with cancer.”  - Naba Gopal, father

A brave warrior, Anushka defeated cancer once but the stubborn disease made its way back into her life

With the help of chemotherapy and a lot of care from her parents, Anushka was making progress. Slowly she was regaining her strength and had started getting back to studies, playing with her friends. But destiny had a cruel game in mind. Despite six cycles of chemotherapy, on the month of September this year, she started getting sick. 


 An old picture of Anushka

“She had no appetite at all and was visibly losing a lot of weight. She was almost 34 kgs then. Soon she started running a temperature and had a bad cough. We decided to waste no more time and take her to the doctor. There we got to know our happy days are over - that cancer has come back into Anushka’s life.” 

Always an active kid Anushka is now tied to her bed as her father struggles very hard to afford her treatment

Anushka used to ace at her studies and always made Naba Gopal and Shefali proud. But not just that - she was also interested in quizzing, music, elocution and even received prizes for them. But all of these seem like a dream for Anushka now who can hardly leave her bed.

 Anushka with all the prizes she has won

“I can’t explain how helpless I feel as see my little daughter suffering so much. She doesn’t ask me anything but I know she looks up the internet to know more about her disease; the treatment she is being given and how long patients like her live. Tears flow out of eyes when I think that with the meager salary of a conch bangle-maker in Barrackpore,  I won’t be able to continue my daughter’s treatment. I earn only Rs 250-300 a day and I have already spent Rs 4 lakhs by borrowing from relatives and even selling my wife’s jewellery. I have planned on selling our small house and live with my brother in Kolkata but I don’t know if that would still be enough for treatment.”

How you can help

12-year-old Anushka is battling from cancer and needs treatment to fight back the deadly disease. Her parents are deep in debt and in no condition to arrange for the money that is required. You can bring the smile on Anushka’s face and give hope to the distraught parents by making a generous contribution.

Your support can save little Anushka's life