Not too long ago, were we celebrating my aunt's anniversary and making Diwali plans. Little did we know that the day would be spent in a confined space in a hospital with needles poking her veins around the numbing sound of the machines.

My aunt, Meenakshi, lovingly known as Rosy/Meena, is fighting stage 3 rectal cancer today. What we thought of as a simple case of indigestion, turned out to be a deadly cancer getting worse for the last six months.

For those of you who have met her and spent time with her, would know how charming and loving she is. We always pray for the best of health of our loved ones, but there is this one day that hits us, shakes us and breaks us and that's where we are today.

She needs to get treated at the earliest. Here's the course of treatment as suggested by Manipal Hospitals, Bangalore:

• 2 months of chemotherapy (~4 sessions- two done already)
• Radiation (5 sessions)
• 2 months of chemotherapy (~4 sessions)
• Robotic surgery

The plan is to shrink the tumor and bring it down to stage 1 and then get it surgically removed. The need for the entire treatment comes to about 10-12 lakhs.

This is where you can help us. Your love, your prayers and your support could save a life. Please contribute and share with your friends and family. Thank you.