Sujan is the kind of boy you can always rely on. When his younger sister fell sick, he stayed up all night with her. When his friend needed help with a subject in school, he spent days studying with him. When his father, Sanjeev met with an accident last year, it was Sujan who took care of him and helped him walk.
“But see how life is. Last year he was helping me recover, and today… he’s in the hospital fighting cancer! And all I can do is watch helplessly. The only reason I was able to overcome everything last year was because he never left my side, he never let me give up. How can I let him down now?” - Sanjeev, father
He started working to support his family and himself
9 days. That’s the number of days Sujan attended college before he was diagnosed with blood cancer. He had only just started his journey – moving from a small town to the big city wasn’t easy, but he did it. Sujan came to Bangalore to start his BSc. course with a lot of hope and determination.
“Before joining college, he wanted to buy a mobile phone. But I didn’t have the money. He took up a painting job and used his own money to buy himself a phone. Whatever was left, he gave to me. Sujan has always been like this. He wants to get a job, he wants to have a good life… ”I will take care of everything, appa” he would tell me... he still tells me.”
Sujan has completed 4 cycles of chemotherapy now.
He looks different, he feels different. When Sumathi and Sanjeev see him now, they can hardly recognize him. But this isn’t the end of his treatment – he needs a bone marrow transplant soon. The chemo just isn’t enough.
15 days. That’s the number of days Sujan has left to get the bone marrow transplant, but Sanjeev has nothing left.
After the accident, Sujan helped his father stand on his own two feet again
"I met with a bike accident last year that left me in severe pain. It was a horrible time: I couldn't get out of bed, I couldn't do anything for myself. Doctors said I would need physiotherapy, but that was too expensive for us. But my son stepped up and helped me through it all. He learned all the exercises I would need to do, and helped me everyday for months. He is the reason I can stand on my own two feet again. It's like he gave me life again. But now... now he's the one who needs me and I'm unable to help him..."
Sanjeev can't even dream of affording the treatment that will save Sujan's life
"I own a small mechanic shop. Before, Sujan would drop me to work every day – but the customers have just stopped coming in because I can’t work like I did before. It’s been a very difficult year for us financially. I look a loan to send Sujan to college, I had taken a loan for my surgery after the accident… it will take me years to pay that back. And now… 15 lakhs? I just can’t. My son needs your help, please do anything and save him. I have nothing else left, nothing else.”
The only way Sujan will survive blood cancer is with a bone marrow transplant in 15 days. Sanjeev has done everything he can to try and continue his treatment, but it just isn’t enough. Sujan can have the bright future he dreamed of only with your help.