We were a happy family of four: my father, a government school teacher, my sister, a doctor, and me, a student at IIT Kharagpur. Life was going smoothly, and we were blessed by God until the devastating day of February 16th. My mother began experiencing severe pain in her leg and spine, which worsened over time. Doctors initially diagnosed her with low platelets and anemia, and she was prescribed iron supplements and painkillers, but nothing seemed to help.

On February 25th, things took a tragic turn. My mother, Minakshi Keshao Lede suffered two cardiac arrests within 24 hours. After she was stabilized, doctors sent us to a multi-specialist hospital in Nagpur for further tests. There, we received the heartbreaking news: cancer cells were found in her blood. After multiple tests, including a bone marrow biopsy and genetic analysis, she was diagnosed with high-risk Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML M5), a severe and aggressive form of blood cancer. To make matters worse, a rare genetic mutation (NUP98::KDM5A) was discovered, which has a very poor prognosis.

Despite never having had any major health issues like high blood pressure or diabetes, we were in shock, unable to process the gravity of the situation. We transferred her to NCI Nagpur for better care, where she began her first round of chemotherapy on March 1st. The treatment was difficult, but we were hopeful.

After the first chemo, various side effects appeared—such as a brown spot in her eye, fluid below the retina, and general weakness. These symptoms further escalated into color blindness, redness in the eyes, severe and prolonged menstrual bleeding due to low platelets, intense migraines, and even visual auras caused by those migraines.

Even in this incredibly difficult time, she never lost hope. She continued trying to give her best—eating lunch as much as she could, drinking water, eating fruits, and making every effort to keep her strength up.

Then, the day before starting the second cycle of chemo, she developed a very high-grade fever, touching 103.5°F, and we had to rush her to the hospital. Despite various antibiotics, the fever persisted. Blood cultures and tests were done, but nothing showed up initially. She had severe pain and tenderness in the paranasal region. Two CT scans and a sonography were done, but again, nothing conclusive came up. For nearly a week, the fever wouldn't break. Finally, one day, the blood culture report showed a serious bacterial infection. Doctors immediately changed to high-dose antibiotics.

As the second round of chemo had already been delayed, the doctors decided to proceed. But after the first dose, her fever worsened, soaring to 105°F. She was rushed to the ICU and remained there for 5–6 days. She is currently stable but now has stitches on her back with a VAC (Vacuum-Assisted Closure) device attached.

The medical expenses have been overwhelming. In just over a month, we’ve already spent around 9.5 lakh rupees, and the costs are only rising. Each round of chemotherapy costs around 2–3 lakh rupees, and after chemotherapy, my mother will need a bone marrow transplant, which alone costs between 30–40 lakh rupees. The expenses keep increasing due to complications, and we’re reaching a point where we can't keep up without help.

Please help us in this critical time. Your support can make a huge difference in my mother’s fight for life. Every donation, no matter how small, will help cover her treatment and give her a fighting chance. We are truly grateful for your kindness and generosity.