At youthful 42, with the arrival of a little baby girl, Manish was looking forward to a new chapter of life, when cancer hit him like a lightning bolt in early 2020 and threatened to take everything away – his family, his stable job in Dubai, his successful career of 20 years as a sales and marketing professional, his entire identity. After the initial shock he started his fightback with Chemotherapy in India. It was not easy. The treatment was done as a medical emergency in the middle of the raging Coronavirus lockdowns.

The 6 rounds of chemotherapy worked but lowered his immunity to the extent that he got infected with COVID-19. He spent over 10 days in ICU and fought hard for his life. After an additional one month of hospital stay and every possible medicine that could be administered, he was discharged but not fully recovered. It took 6 months for him to turn COVID-19 negative backed by endless course of medicines and relentless care by his ageing parents.

Unfortunately, the lymphoma came back, stronger than before in April 2021. It had now transformed into DLBCL (diffused large B cell) a fast growing, extremely dangerous, fatal if left untreated cancer. In June 2021, the second line of 5 more chemotherapies was commenced, only to show that the cancer is not responding any more to chemo i.e. is refractory in nature.

His last hope to live is the pioneering CAR T-Cell Therapy. Consulting Doctors have advised that this is the best option for him. It can give him a good chance of survival and perhaps cure. As per the doctors, this therapy has helped 93% of people who have received it. 73% people got complete response from the treatment. It has emerged as a powerful treatment in recent years. However, the treatment is extremely expensive, unaffordable with out-of-pocket means. It is estimated to cost $834,000. He urgently needs to travel to the US where there is approved therapy available.

My brother has been a fighter all his life. Yet, fighting cancer has drawn every bit of his strength and taken a toll on him, physically and emotionally, even as he continues to put up a brave face. On top of it he has been battling it away from his wife and baby girl, with no income, burning his life’s savings and with little visibility into the future.

Manish wants to beat cancer so he can be there for his baby girl, continue to be the pillar of support for his family and friends and resume giving back to the society. If life gives him another chance, Manish plans to start a charity for fellow cancer survivors.
Those who have known him know very well that he is a gem of a person. Right from Alma mater days at STCS, his hospitality training at IHM Bangalore, further studies at Aston University or his professional life in Dubai, he is loved and fondly associated within his friends and associate circle. He has been a loving son, great brother and a wonderful husband. We cannot imagine life without him.

We urge you to pray for him and contribute with an open heart so Manish can get this treatment urgently and get well for good. So he can continue to be a loving husband and a doting father, so he can read bedtime stories to his baby girl and be a witness to her growing up. Give Manish the gift of hope!