I am Venkatesh. I work as the Operations Manager in Sahyadri Hospital, Pune. Having worked in this organisation for 4 and half years , the fellow peers, supporting staff have become more than just a familiar face. We exchange smiles and greetings everyday. Rarely do we have conversations but it is one of those kinds where you can pick up from where we left it last. Once such person I have known is Nitesh.  

Though I have known Nitesh from the very beginning, I got a sense of his professional side here in Sahyadri. Nitesh works as a receptionist in our hospital. I have seen him over 2 years. Answering calls, helping worried relatives of patients and running around to make sure crucial patient files reach the doctor’s desk on time with the important messages. Walking into the hospital hallways, I would see him hustling. We would exchange a quick smiles and get back to our routine. 

Not seeing him at the desk, I assumed he was away for a vacation. On enquiry, I got to know he is unwell and waiting tests results for dengue or malaria. The sudden drop in RBC count, fever, body ache all were pointing to the obvious symptoms of dengue. But little did they know the Nitesh might have been fighting something more grave. Soon fews scans and tests revealed he has Acute Leukaemia, an aggressive type of blood cancer. 

Nitesh's father is a vegetable seller and his brother works a security guard in our hospital. His wife works at a call centre. But yet total monthly earnings of all them is not suffice for Nitish's treatment. He needs aggressive sessions of chemotherapy and blood transfusions to have a shot at winning this fight against cancer. 

Nitesh needs treatment worth 10 lakhs. With a condition like his, he can no longer work. The family earns nothing more than 15000 a month. It is not easy for his wife or his father to see him fight a disease this grave. With our support, we can help Nitesh live. And see him where we have loved seeing him; behind the reception desk.