"Ladies and gentlemen, I want to live, I am fighting a relapse of blood cancer, but my heart is full of hope for the future, where, as an engineer, I am able to make great contributions to our society.
I am Shubham Jaiswal and this is my story. I was diagnosed with Blood Cancer in March 2015, while I was pursuing my Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering. After the diagnosis, I went to Raheja Hospital in Mumbai for further treatment, I was given my first chemotherapy in this hospital after which my lower body got paralysed and I remained very ill for the next 18 days. This single session had cost us Rs 20 lakh which my father paid off by selling our land in our ancestral village.
Then I moved to Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, in July, 2016, where my treatment continued further and I was given mild sessions of chemotherapy as it could not be avoided in treating my ailment. I was suggested to go for a bone marrow transplant (BMT) but there were two constraints: first, they could not give me an appointment for the next one year and second, my real sister's bone marrow matched only 50% with mine.
Next, I shifted to Christian Medical College, Vellore where my treatment is being continued till date. While arranging for finances, It was reported that the cancer had already infected my central nervous system and was immediately advised Chemotherapy sessions. Then, I underwent the procedure of a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor. The cost of this treatment was Rs 35 lakh and the procedure was made possible by the support of funds from Prime Minister, Chief Minister, friends, relatives and all the other guardian angels who helped me through a crowd funding campaign on Ketto.
I was in remission for a few months when one day I was in Vellore to get my eye treated where one test lead to another and the reports that emerged suggested that the cancer had resurfaced and infected my bone marrow and my BMT had relapsed. Currently, I am being given chemotherapy to curb the spread of the disease while the further advised course of treatment is Donor Lymphocyte Infusion (DLI). DLI involves reinfusion of donor cells into my patient body. This procedure is riskier and has greater chances of complications but it is the only procedure that could save my life.
So here are my closing words about my ailment, all my father's earnings and savings have been exhausted. I have always been brave in the face of this adversity that my family and I are facing together. Any help from you will take me one step closer to living a healthy life" - Shubham
