Najama feels like she has been sick for most of her 4-year-old Amin's childhood. She has been suffering from pancreatic cancer for the last 2 years. Despite three surgeries, and medicines, her cancer has shown no signs of receding. Even though she has only been hearing bad news about her cancer, Najama is determined to fight – her son is too young to lose his mother.


Najama needs treatment to fight her pancreatic cancer

Najama was struck by a silent-form of cancer that was detected too late

Pancreatic cancer strikes without any symptoms and is very hard to detect in the early stages. For a whole year, Najama only had mild stomach pains. The lump in her stomach was finally detected only two years back. It was diagnosed as cancer only last year. Since then, her life has been endless visits to the hospital.

“We got three surgeries done, but all of them failed. She is weak and the doctors say she needs treatment that will melt the lump in her stomach. Najama cries and feels hopeless, but every time she thinks of Amin and decides to be strong.” explains her brother Salim.

Salim is talking about radiation therapy that is Najama's only option. Najama is in her mother's house in Bangalore for the treatment. Her child and husband Chand live in Ramanagara near Mysore. Every time Amin gets upset he cries and looks for his mother. But slowly, he is getting used to having no one around. 

Chand keeps juggling between visiting Najama, caring for his son and going to work and earning money for expenses. He lost his earlier job and now works as a waiter in a canteen in Ramanagara earning Rs 300 for every day of work. Everyone in this family has made big sacrifices in the last two years.

Najma is staying within Bangalore with her mother while Chand is back in Ramanagara 

“We were excited about Amin joining school – but it is no longer a happy occasion”

It is time for Amin to begin school. After spending over Rs 10 lakhs on Najama's surgery, Chand has nothing left to even pay Amin's fees. It was something he and Najama had looked forward to for their only child. With Najama in Bangalore getting treated, Amin's school admission is no longer the big occasion it once was.

“I feel like time has stopped and we have only lived in this desperate situation for years. Even my young son knows that his mother is very sick – even if he doesn't understand it. I try to visit often, but even one visit is just too expensive. It really hurts to be poor when your family is fighting death,” Chand says.

Even day to day expenses is getting very hard for Chand to manage. He feels like he has lived in a constant state of fear for the last two years. He needs to make sure Najama gets treated but has nothing left to save her with especially because he is living in debt from loans taken to treat her over the years.

How you can help 

This family has been fighting a desperate situation for a very long time. Najama needs urgent chemotherapy and radiation, but her family has no way to pay for her treatment.

Her family needs urgent help saving Najama.