"My daughter has always been good in studies. She was determined to score the highest marks in class every time, and would spare no effort to reach her goals. She aims to be a teacher one day. Her passion for teaching is so strong that she had started teaching her brother, after returning from school every day. Her younger brother who hated books had started scoring well in exams just because of her. But now my daughter may never be able to achieve her dreams as cancer can soon kill her," - Nirmala, Sanjana's mother.
Her parents never thought in their wildest dreams a swelling would turn into a dreadful cancerous tumor
One evening, Nirmala was waiting for her daughter to return from school. She was never late. She noticed from the window that Sanjana was barely able to walk and was finding it difficult to reach the door. When she immediately ran to her, Sanjana was nearly in tears. She complained that her throat was horribly hurting and it wasn't allowing her to walk a step. Nirmala saw a lump was formed just below her chin and that her body was burning with fever. She immediately called her husband Srinu and rushed Sanjana to the hospital.
“We immediately consulted a local doctor who gave us medicines but soon she was so severly weak that she was not even able to drink water by herself. Fearing what might have happened to her, we took her to a private hospital. We were told that the swelling is a cancerous tumor and our daughter is suffering from blood cancer. We were shocked and couldn't believe what we had just heard - my husband requested them to re-check if there was any misunderstanding with the patients' name. We broke into uncontrollable tears when the doctor explained to us how our child is at the death's door," - Nirmala.
Daily injections cause terrible pain and Sanjana is bedridden with weakness
10-year-old Sanjana is suffering from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), cancer that severely affects the blood and bone marrow by producing the excess number of white blood cells in the body. She urgently needs chemotherapy treatment for 2.5 years. The parents have struggled to start the treatment but they cannot afford to continue it, without which Sanjana will not live long."Though the tumor under her chin has more or less subsided due to medicines, it causes pain when she tries to gulp food. Whatever little food she eats, she immediately throws up. She is bedridden with weakness and the injections are causing terrible pains in both her hands. My daughter who asked her brother to get a book or two to read cannot even hold to read it. I cannot forget how deeply she was hurt and she cried the whole night restlessly thinking how her life has changed. At times, she questions me, 'Will I ever be able to read and write?,' with great difficulty I hold back my tears and console her," - Nirmala.
This painter will lose his little daughter without immediate help
Srinu who works as a painter is the sole bread earner of the family. He earns as little as Rs 6,000 a month. With this minimal income, he struggles to educate his children and feed the family every day. Now the treatment which costs 8 lakhs has overburdened him and he is unable to save his daughter who is on the verge of death.
"Every day before I left for work, I would notice how happily she used to get ready for school. It gave me motivation to work harder to give her the life she deserves. Even after using every penny that I have saved for her education, I couldn't even afford to pay for her medical tests. I have begged and borrowed a large sum of money to keep her alive by starting the treatment. I have tried everything that I could but I cannot afford to save my little daughter with my meager income," - Srinu, Sanjana's father.
How You Can Help
Unlike most 10-year-olds, Sanjana is a very ambitious girl who aspires to be a teacher. This young and curious mind is suffering from a severe form of blood cancer. She urgently needs chemotherapy treatment for 2.5 years. The poor parents have exhausted all their savings and are unable to afford the treatment that can save their daughter from certain death.Your contribution can save Sanjana
