At just 19 years old, Shivam should have been building his future. Instead, he is fighting blood cancer while his elderly grandmother struggles every day to keep her family together.

Eight years ago, Shivam lost both his parents, leaving his grandmother as the only person to care for him and his siblings. She took on the responsibility of raising seven children on her own, doing whatever she could to ensure they had food to eat. 

Every day, she sells roasted corn on the roadside, earning barely Rs. 150. From this small income, she manages household expenses, pays rent, and tries to feed the entire family. This means they often go without food. 

Life became even harder when the family, who had been living in a hut in Chandigarh, lost their home. They eventually moved to Dugri in Ludhiana, hoping for stability. Soon after, Shivam began experiencing recurring fevers, severe pain in his feet, and constant dizziness. A medical examination revealed the heartbreaking truth: he had blood cancer.

Since then, his life has revolved around hospital visits. 

Shivam has spent months in and out of Christian Medical College (CMC) Hospital in Ludhiana, receiving blood transfusions, glucose, and other treatments to keep him stable. Once employed as a cleaning staff member at a hotel, he is now too weak to work. The family's only remaining source of income comes from his younger brother, who has also taken up cleaning work, and their grandmother's meagre daily earnings.

Doctors have advised that Shivam urgently needs a bone marrow transplant. But for a family struggling to meet even their daily needs, arranging such a life-saving treatment is simply impossible.

Despite everything she has endured, Shivam's grandmother continues to stand by her grandchildren. She worries constantly about what will happen to them if she is no longer around to care for them.

“I have been looking after these children for years. If I die, I don't know what will happen to them,” she says.

Today, Shivam's fight against cancer has become the family's biggest battle yet. Without timely treatment, his condition could worsen. But with your support, he can receive the medical care he desperately needs and get a chance to recover.