Page 116 - ACCF - Stories of Resilience

treatment deemed a priority. But for Kalpana, a woman
whose worth was measured by her ability to serve her
family, her suffering was dismissed as insignificant.

A GLIMMER OF HOPE
We spent the next hour counseling Kalpana, explaining
the importance of immediate medical intervention and
reassuring her about financial aid and government health
schemes. But her despair ran deep.
“I want to get better,” she said, clutching my hand tightly.
“I want to live. But how can I? Who will take me to the
hospital? Who will help me with the paperwork? I don’t
even know how to sign my name properly.”
Her willingness to fight was overshadowed by the practical
barriers of her circumstances—illiteracy, poverty, and a lack
of support. “I wish I could come with you every step of the
way, Ma,” I said, fighting back my tears. “But I promise you
this—you are not alone. We will do everything in our power
to help you.”
We referred her to the nearby cancer center and arranged for a community health worker to assist with her paperwork and
transportation. Before leaving, I left her my contact number, urging her to call if she needed anything.

REFLECTION AND ACTION

As we walked away from Kalpana’s hut, a heavy silence fell over our team. “Would this have happened if Kalpana had been a

116 IT’S POSSIBLE NOT JUST TO SURVIVE, BUT TO LIVE A WONDERFUL LIFE AGAIN