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"She used to be full of life – dancing, singing, and drawing brought her so much joy. She was always the first one to make us laugh. Now she hardly talks. She thinks it's just a fever that won't go away, but we know the truth. We can't bear to tell her that she has blood cancer. She is too young to understand."- Sathya, mother
It was 1.5 years ago that their 8-year-old daughter was first diagnosed with blood cancer
The family consisting of Sathya, her husband Venkatesan, their daughter and their younger son—were living in Bangalore at the time. The initial diagnosis came as a complete shock. "We had taken her to the doctor for a recurring fever and weight loss. We never imagined it would be something so serious," Venkatesan recalls. She was admitted to a hospital in Pondicherry, where she spent 45 days in the general ward undergoing painful tests and treatments.Weekly chemotherapy sessions followed for eight months, and slowly, the cancer seemed to be in check. The family relocated to Hosur to be closer to relatives, making monthly trips back to the hospital for check-ups. But everything changed again on the 7th of November this year when she was down with high fever.
Her condition is now beyond critical
Tests revealed their worst fear – the cancer had relapsed. This time, the diagnosis was even more deadly. Doctors classified it as high-risk and explained that her only chance of survival was a Bone Marrow Transplant combined with immunotherapy, a treatment that would cost ₹50 lakhs. Her immunity is dangerously low, and her platelet levels continue to drop, leaving her vulnerable to severe infections.
"Every day feels like a battle. Even a simple fever becomes life-threatening. She is scared of the needles now. She cries every time they prick her, but she doesn't understand why it has to be done. Her tiny body is going through so much pain. She keeps asking why she can't go to school or see her friends. She misses her classes so much. She loved studying and scored 86% in 2nd standard. Now, she just wants to go back to her normal life. She keeps complaining to us, but what can we tell her? We feel helpless."- Sathya
"I cannot leave her side on one hand, and we are very low on funds on the other”
The family's financial condition is terrible. Venkatesan, who worked as a supervisor for Bangalore Metro, has been on unpaid leave since the relapse. He is scared that something will happen to his angel if she stays away from her even for a second.
"We have no savings left. We sold all of Sathya's jewellery, and our friends helped us initially, but now we have nothing. We have already spent over ₹16 lakhs on her treatment. The doctors say we need ₹50 lakhs more for the Bone Marrow Transplant and immunotherapy. I want to save my daughter, but I don't know how. It feels impossible to arrange so much money. We are pleading for help from anyone who can support us. Please help us give her a chance to live. She deserves to live. She deserves a future."
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The identity of the child is protected in adherence to government guidelines.
