Taking The Bull By The Horns: Single Mom Poornima’s Account Of Raising A Child With Cancer | #ImpactGuruSuccess

“Dhuthi’s blood count was too low” declared the doctor. This sentence was enough for my heart to skip a beat.

Circa 2022, when Poornima’s whole world came crashing down

It all started in May 2022 when Poornima first found out about her baby’s illness. Dhuthi meant the world to her. As a single mother, life was already tough for Poornima. Her husband didn’t live with her anymore which meant that she had to play the role of a mother and father. 

“I was afraid to lose her. The doctor had confirmed that she was suffering from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia!”, she exclaimed with sorrow. Once resilient and brave, she felt alone and helpless when she thought about her daughter’s future. Cancer’s wrath weakened even this brave mother. 

A Bundle of Joy

Before the diagnosis, Dhuthi was just another cute little toddler, with loads of spunk and boundless happiness. She was the only family Poornima had. With a heart as big as her smile, she was the beloved princess in her home, cherished and admired by all. She was always passionate about fashion, loved shopping, and was also very interested in studies. Her sweet and caring nature shone through, capturing the hearts of all who met her. All was good until one day she was diagnosed with blood cancer.

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An Unexpected Turn of Events

“Without any warning, she suddenly started experiencing recurrent fever for several weeks” were Poornima’s words. It didn’t seem abnormal to her initially up until Dhuti’s condition started to worsen with each passing day. This was an indication for Poornima that something was terribly wrong with Dhuthi, her sole pillar of strength. After obtaining the blood test results, the doctor referred them to Aster Hospital, where Poornima learned about her daughter’s terrible disease.

Dhuthi faced a lot of complications with her health. Other than high fever, she suffered from a condition known as febrile neutropenia that made her more vulnerable to various infections and bacterial pneumonia. 

“I helplessly watched my baby endure chemotherapy sessions. She started to lose hair due to the side effects of chemotherapy, she was inactive, and her face and stomach began to swell'', exclaimed a weary Poornima.

Along with the mentioned symptoms, intensive chemotherapy sessions made Dhuthi very weak. Like all mothers, Poornima desperately wanted her baby out of this inexplicable situation. It was heartbreaking for her to see her baby in pain. Poornima couldn’t do anything other than be strong for her daughter so that Dhuti could cultivate the inner strength to overcome everything that came her way.

Also read: Life Lessons From Cancer: A Mother’s Survival Story

When Despair turned to hope…

“It was becoming increasingly difficult for me. As a single mother, I couldn’t afford the treatment worth lakhs of rupees. I told myself that Cancer cannot take my baby away”. 

All her savings had been exhausted for Dhuti’s treatment; her baby’s road to recovery was anything but easy. At one point, Dhuti had to be admitted to the ICU for 6 days. Poornima was dealing with all kinds of coping mechanisms when the doctors at Aster CMI hospital introduced her to ImpactGuru, a well-known crowdfunding organization that’s renowned for the incredible work they do for cancer patients and their families. 

“They approached us at a time when I’d almost given up hope," recalls Poornima. 

The generosity of the donors helped Poornima and her baby in their fight against Leukemia. The abundant support shown by the ImpactGuru team helped them cover the expenses required for the treatment. Dhuti’s case further validated the sheer power of medical crowdfunding and the impact it can have on people’s lives.

Miraculous Recovery Of Dhuthi

This brave young girl’s story and road to recovery has been truly inspirational. It’s been over a year since her treatment began and she has recovered greatly. There’s one more year of treatment to go. Today, Dhuthi is in good health. Her smile is back and she is back to doing her favorite things again. As part of her ongoing care, she has to go for her routine checkups as and when she is called.

“Despite the numerous challenges faced, I have a message to share with all the families navigating through similar struggles” concludes Poornima.“Sometimes we need to take it hour by hour. Lean on our family for support in these tough times. Have faith and God will surely show us the way”.

Dhuthi and her mother faced a harrowing journey, but together with the passionate platform of ImpactGuru donors, the two have emerged triumphant. If you know of anyone battling blood cancer like Dhuthi, kindly reach us at 180 089 12903 or email us at [email protected]. Let us unite, contribute, and be a part of more such success stories.

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