Dear friends,

Today, I come to you as a mother with a plea that weighs heavily on my heart. My name is Mridula and I, with my husband, are at a critical juncture where your support can make all the difference both for us and for the precious future we dream for our daughter.

My husband and I moved to Australia in 2017, filled with dreams of a better future. Little did we know that our lives would soon be turned upside down by the news of a rare and relentless type of cancer, which I was diagnosed with towards the last stages of my pregnancy. It was March 2020 when I was 37 weeks pregnant that I started experiencing excruciating back pain and difficulty swallowing. I was rushed to the emergency room, where an ultrasound revealed the presence of ascites. Further tests and an MRI confirmed our worst fears—a tumor in my ovary, most likely cancerous. The weight of the word ‘cancer’ bore down on our world with fear and uncertainty. I had always been healthy, with infrequent visits to doctors, and here I was thrust into a reality I never imagined.

The very next day, I underwent an emergency C-section and had my right ovary, along with the tumor, removed. The biopsy results shattered our world. I was diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer. The news was devastating, especially considering I was pregnant during the diagnosis. To give myself any chance of survival, I had to start chemotherapy immediately. It was a race against time, and amid the chaos of battling cancer, we found ourselves facing another immense challenge—the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. With international borders closing and limited support available, my husband and I found ourselves alone in the hospital for nearly a month, while our newborn daughter was in the neonatal unit.

Those initial months were incredibly tough, but we found strength in the unwavering support of our close friends. With their help and the arrival of my mother, who was granted an exemption to travel, we slowly began to rebuild our lives. I embarked on a gruelling journey of chemotherapy every two weeks (which now I am told is ‘chemo for life’). As gastric cancer is a rare and complex disease, with limited research and treatment options available, the doctors delivered a grim prognosis, informing us that if the chemotherapy worked, I might have a maximum of six months.

For the past four years, my life has been a roller coaster ride and have undergone multiple surgeries & multiple rounds of chemotherapy & radiation. While the rest of my body is currently stable and I feel healthy two years ago the cancer further spread to my brain, my oncologist advised us to start on breakthrough drug called Enhertu. Unfortunately, this medication is not publicly funded in Australia for my type of cancer, and each cycle of three weeks costs a staggering Rs.4,29,000 (~$7,600 AUD), which is simply beyond our grasp with my husband being our sole caregiver.

I have always been a positive person and, despite the grim prognosis, I have been optimistic, and I believe that this drug is my only hope at the moment. It is a ray of light amidst the darkness, offering me the chance to fight back against this threatening cancer.

Last year, with the help of Rare Cancer Australia’s crowdfunding platform, we were able to raise ~$150,000 AUD (~85 lakhs Indian rupees). It was incredibly humbling and heartwarming to see how many people I had never met stepped forward to do their bit. Considering we have nearly exhausted the raised up funds we reached out to the pharmaceutical company that manufactures Enhertu, requesting them to administer the drug for free on compassionate grounds. Unfortunately, our plea has been rejected. So here we are again, filled with hope, trusting in your kindness and generosity. Our new goal is to raise Rs 1.6 crores Indian rupees to ensure my treatment continues for couple of years ahead, allowing me to keep fighting and be there for my family and also keep trying and hopefully find a way to access this life saving medicine.

From the depths of my heart, I thank you for your kindness, generosity, and unwavering support. With your support by my side, I know that I am not alone in this battle. I know that our collective efforts have the power to conquer even the most daunting challenges life throws our way.
My friends always tell me that I will go through life seeing my daughter grow into a wonderful adult. I believe that is true.

With heartfelt gratitude,
Mridula