This 4-year-old Was Struggling To Survive Dengue When She Was Diagnosed With Blood Cancer

Tejaswini's illness started with dengue fever. Fearing for her life, her father got her admitted to a hospital and got her a blood transfusion. Despite recovering from dengue, Tejaswini did not get better. To her father's shock, she was diagnosed with blood cancer. As a farmer, Tejaswini's father is struggling to save her life.


Tejaswini at the hospital with her parents

Since her dengue – Tejaswini has no energy left even to eat

Tejaswini lived in Giduthuru, a small village near Vishakhapatnam with her parents and little sister. Her father Govindu is a tenant farmer and her mother Annapurna stays at home to take care of the house. Tejaswini had started her second year of school when she fell sick three months back.


Tejaswini with her mother and little sister visiting a park

“She was a super naughty child, filling the house with her laughter – always up to something. Since she became sick – she is tired all the time. She hardly even talks. She eats only when we force her to eat something to keep her energy up. It makes it so much harder for us to stay positive when we see how she has changed since she was diagnosed with cancer,” explains Annapurna. 

Illness has made Tejaswini weak and thin

Tejaswini was diagnosed with blood cancer in November. Since then, her parents and Tejaswini are in Chennai for treatment. Tejaswini's little sister, Lashya, has been left at home with her grandparents. Tejaswini is too weak to even miss home and barely responds when her sister asks her if she had to take injections at the hospital. 


Tejaswini had just started the second year of school

Govindu and Annapurna are too scared to even make a short trip back home. More than cancer, they are scared of how much the disease has ravaged their little daughter. They have rented a small room in Chennai close to the hospital so Tejaswini can be rushed to the hospital should anything go wrong. 

Cancer treatment may be manageable, it is the side-effects that make it expensive

Tejaswini's cancer needs extensive chemotherapy and it leaves her tired and prone to suffering painful side-effects. She has diarrhea, vomiting, ulcers, and bleeding. Though able to manage the costs of chemotherapy till now, Tejaswini's side effects have needed expensive hospitalizations. 

“We managed to borrow from all our relatives and put together Rs 2 lakhs. But she had to be hospitalised many times in the last two months. All our money is gone. We don't have the necessary amount to cover the rest of her treatment,” says a dejected Annapurna. 

Before she became sick, Tejaswini used to be a vivacious, happy child who loved playing

Tejaswini's father is a farmer who earns up to Rs 13,000 for every harvest. Govindu has already borrowed a lot and left his work and home to come to the city for his child's treatment. Every time his younger daughter cries for her parents – they have to scare her with injections. In spite of making these hard choices – they may not be able to save their daughter just because they have no funds left. 

How you can help

After two months' treatment, Tejaswini is finally doing well and her blood tests look good. Her parents are also beginning to hope that they will be able to save their daughter. They desperately need kindness in this time of fear and sorrow.

Contribute and help little Tejaswini beat cancer and go home healthy.

Supporting Documents

The specifics of this case have been verified by the medical team at the concerned hospital. For any clarification on the treatment or associated costs, contact the campaign organizer or the medical team.

Click here to save Tejaswini.