Little Manya cannot move a limb without feeling pain anymore. Her whole body is so swollen that the doctors cannot find a healthy vein in her body anymore. Her mother tries to comfort her, but her loving embraces only hurt her more. Chemotherapy cannot kill her cancer cells anymore, she needs a life-saving bone marrow surgery. All Manya can do now is lie in the hospital bed, waiting for a miracle to save her because her parents have exhausted all their financial options.  

“Her face reflects her suffering. When we catch her flinching in pain, she tries to force a smile. She tries to say ‘I’m okay’ very feebly. But I know what my baby is going through. I wish no mother goes through the ordeal of their child dying right in front of their helpless eyes”-Mamatha, mother of 7-year-old Manya.

Manya excelled at both academics and extra-curricular activities before her body started bruising all of a sudden

Manya loved going to school with her twin sister Manvi. She was the teacher’s pet and did extremely well in every school activity until she started getting unexplained blue-coloured bruises one day.


Manya, before cancer turned her life upside-down

“We couldn’t understand how she would get bruising like this because it was present all over her body. To add to it, she started complaining of poor eyesight. She told us that she was not able to view the blackboard in class even from a short distance anymore. It really concerned us and we did not wait to take her to a specialist”-Rajendra Prasad, father

When their sweet 7-year-old girl was diagnosed with deadly cancer, her parents’ world came crashing down

Routine blood tests conducted gave away the fact that little Manya had acute blood cancer. She had to be put on chemo urgently. Her father, Rajendra Prasad, did not have enough money for the first cycle. He was forced to borrow money to make sure his daughter got chemotherapy. The family had to shift from Ranchi to Mumbai for treatment immediately.

“I had been struggling in life before the birth of my two angels. It was only after they came into my life that I even got a decent job. They were very lucky for me. And now, one of them might not make it. My wife and I cannot believe that something like this could happen to someone like Manya who always put others’ needs before her”-Rajendra Prasad tears up thinking about the fate of his daughter.

Three cycles of chemo couldn't heal her; she even suffered a massive cardiac arrest that landed her in a critical state in the ICU

Manya started chemo in July 2017, as soon as she was diagnosed. She underwent three cycles of chemotherapy and was actually responding well to the treatment. Her mother never left her side and her father worked hard to make sure that his daughter would be alright soon. But as fate would have it, her cancer relapsed just a few months later. Now, it had become more intense than ever.


Nothing can help Manya recover except a bone marrow transplant

“She even suffered a cardiac arrest and was admitted in the ICU – that’s how sick she got. We thought we had lost her that day itself. From that day onwards, her condition has become very critical. The doctors say that only a bone marrow transplant can save her”-Mamatha

“She asks me to bring Manvi to the hospital, but I give her excuses all the time. The doctors have told us that bringing Manvi to hospital is not really advisable as she can catch infections fast and seeing her sister in this state might be traumatic. Manvi thinks Manya has fever. They were so close, always together. Now, all we are praying for is Manya’s recovery. I cannot afford it, but I am sure we will find a way”-Rajendra Prasad

How you can help

This family has been through a lot in the last couple of months. On one hand, little Manya’s sickness was getting worse and on the other, Rajendra Prasad was struggling to manage both medical expenses and household expenditure on his scant resources. Manya and Mamatha stay full-time in the hospital while Rajendra takes care of Manvi at home, and makes the up-and-down trip to the hospital every day. Chemotherapy was prolonging Manya's life for so long, but that will not suffice now.

“I work in an IGNOU regional centre, but have been taking a lot of leaves recently. I am lucky I have a job at all. Today, I cannot afford Manya’s expensive surgery. Nobody expects such things in life, and now I am scrambling to arrange funds. Only a bone marrow transplant can save her. Please help me”-Rajendra Prasad

Your small contribution can help save this 7-year-old's life