Rakesh Kumar Jain – Madhya Pradesh, 2011
I am Rakesh Kumar Jain belonging to Raisina Zillah in Silvani Taluka Madhya Pradesh. I am 51 years old. I left my native village Basao to settle down in Silvani with a lot of dreams in my eyes. I came here and started building a house, which got almost ready in three months. There was little work pending, when I started getting fever every evening. I ignored it and also my wife’s repeated requests to see a doctor. But one night when I revealed to her that I could feel a tumor in my abdomen, she was very disturbed. I saw a local physician the next day who prescribed medicine for three days. The medicines did not work for me and when I went back to the doctor, he told me he would give me medicines for seven days and he cautioned me that if they do not work I would have to go to Bhopal for further investigations etc. From the doctor’s talk, I realized I had some major ailment which he also could not diagnose.
I arranged for some funds and reached Bhopal the next morning and met Dr R K Jain. He did a thorough investigation and asked me to come and see him again that evening with the reports. I was told then that I had Blood Cancer. I felt the earth slipping away from below my feet. I was really very scared. I was advised to see Dr Shyam Agarwal at Bhopal. I was admitted in his nursing home for five days and started on Hydrea a drug for the ailment I was suffering from. The drug did not suit me and before leaving Bhopal, my wife asked the doctor if I will get better. He advised her to take me to Mumbai where I could get the best treatment.
I again borrowed money from my relatives and reached Tata Hospital. I was again put to a lot of investigations and where my Blood Cancer was confirmed. I was put on a medicine which cost me Rs 18000 a month. After that, the worry of arranging funds every month was greater than the ailment itself. I sold my shop etc and took the medicine for two years. After that I expressed my inability to take further treatment due to paucity of funds. I was asked to meet Madam Viji Venkatesh and I do not have words to express what I feel for her. She is God sent for patients like me. I pray she has a long life, so that she can continue to help us live a life by continuing to support and guide us. I am also indebted to the staff of Max Foundation as till then I did not know that, there are such good people in this world. There is Ashok who is full of love and never leaves us without tea or coffee. I also want to express my gratitude to Ayeshah, Pallavi and the entire staff who treat us so well.
The Max Foundation and my doctor in Tata Hospital helped us apply to Novartis for donation of their medicine called Glivec which to this day I am getting totally free of cost from Novartis . I am living my life with dignity and courage once again.
My heartfelt gratitude once again to Novartis and The Max Foundation with whose efforts we are getting Glivec.
Translated from Hindi by Vidya Tahilramani