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“2 years ago, when they told us that our son was free of this disease and recovering well, we were overjoyed. We thought that was the end of it, not knowing that it could relapse… So when our worst fears came true, it was like a horrible sense of deja vu, living with the constant fear of losing my son to a life-threatening disease…” - Sangeeta, mother
He’d won the fight against cancer the first time around, but it relapsed
Saurav was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow that affects white blood cells, in late 2017. After undergoing rigorous treatment for over 2 years, he was declared cancer-free. But then a month ago, at one of his routine check-ups, doctors found something peculiar in Saurav’s scans.His parents were left shell-shocked when they learned that the one thing that they hoped wouldn’t happen, had in fact happened. Saurav's cancer had relapsed after being in remission for over a year, and this time, it is worse than before.
“There was no denying it anymore. The thought of a possible relapse had been troubling me ever since they told us he’d beaten cancer. But, seeing him doing so well and running about happily, I assumed it was unlikely. We thought that would be the last we’d ever see ourselves in the hospital, hanging onto our hope and praying for our child's life. I thought we would never have to hear the word ‘cancer’ again. But here we are, back to square one.” - Somanth, father
He needs prolonged chemotherapy and supportive treatment
Soon after his first diagnosis, Saurav underwent 4 cycles of chemotherapy and 6 months of supportive treatment. Only then was he able to fight off the cancer, but it took a huge toll on his little body. His life has been so heavily disrupted by the disease and its aftermath, that he hasn’t even been able to go to school.
“When we learned about the relapse, the doctors recommended he undergo a bone marrow transplant. But hearing the price it came at, made me dizzy. There was no way I could afford such an expensive procedure, after exhausting everything I had. So, they advised administering him intensive chemotherapy as curative treatment. Even so, I’m still struggling with my son’s medical costs. They’re beyond my means!” - Somanth
With no proper source of income, he’s failing to save his son
Somanth used to work as a supervisor at a local business, earning INR 6,000 a month. But when Saurav's cancer relapsed, he quit his job to stay by his son's side. Saurav’s mother, Sangeeta, is a homemaker and their 6-member family has been entirely dependent on Somanth’s meager income. Now, with nothing left, they can barely get by, let alone meet Saurav’s hospital expenses.
“These past 4 years, I went as far as to borrow from my friends and family and even availed a loan from the bank, all to keep my son's treatment going. Now I’m neck deep in debt, watching helplessly as my son once again endures endless pain while fighting this deadly battle. A week ago, he had a severe nosebleed that wouldn’t stop and had to be taken to the hospital. His health is rapidly deteriorating... My hands are tied. I don’t know what to do!” - Somanth
Saurav needs your unyielding support as he fights this deadly battle for the second time.
