Support a young Poet, Shatabdi, to Battle with Liver Cancer

Carrying a dead cat on my shoulder, I am heading towards the darkness. I don't know if there is such a thing as reincarnation. If there is, may both "she" (my beloved pet cat, who passed away last month) and "I" find natural death in the next life and live a healthy, joyful, love-filled life!

Hello, I’m Shatabdi Esh Shweta, a 31-year-old poet facing significant health challenges. I was born with Beta Thalassemia Major, which has led to various complications, including weakened bone density and the need for regular blood transfusions to maintain my hemoglobin levels. I also rely on an iron chelator to manage the excess iron in my body.

In 2009, I underwent spleen removal due to complications from iron overload, and in 2017, I faced severe challenges during gallbladder surgery that required skin grafts. More recently, I’ve been diagnosed with Hepatitis C. The most pressing concern now is that my high AFP levels indicate the possibility of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), which necessitates a liver transplant as soon as possible.

So far, my treatment, with the efforts of close people, friends, and relatives, has reached radiotherapy at Medanta Hospital in India, and it ended on July 25th, 2024. The doctor advised that within two months, I need to undergo TARE therapy (TARE: Trans Arterial Radioembolization, a treatment where an interventional radiologist uses tiny beads containing radioactive material injected into the blood vessel that leads to the tumor), which will cost approximately 3 million USD of which we could only manage 1 million until 19th September 2024.

If I can receive TARE therapy in time, my doctor, the head of Medanta’s Liver Transplant Department, Arvind Singh Soin, has indicated that I will need a liver transplant within three months. Without this critical step, my time may be limited. While the total cost of my treatment is daunting—around 80 million dollars—my family believes in the power of hope and resilience. They want me to continue writing about love, humanity, and our shared experiences.

My friends and loved ones are the guiding light in my life. I ask for your support to help me extend my journey and keep sharing my voice and stories. Together, we can create a ripple of hope. Thank you for standing by my side!