Rahul Bhargava, Director and Head of Hematology, Hematocology, and Stem Cell Transplant at Fortis Health Care, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Grit. Determination. Hope. Trust.
An extraordinary story of conquering blood cancer against all odds.
A young man from a remote town in Bihar, where the word cancer is often whispered as a synonym for death, battled persistent fever for over a month before making the arduous journey to Delhi – just like thousands of others searching for a ray of hope.
By the time he reached us, after three consultations elsewhere, he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) through flow cytometry and NGS, which then took nearly three weeks to complete. A large patch of pneumonia made intensive chemotherapy impossible, and financial constraints loomed large.
But where most would see dead ends, he saw a path forward.
With immense courage, he began targeted therapy (Azacitidine + Venetoclax) – even before Venetoclax had been officially launched in India – managed entirely through OPD and day care, despite severe financial limitations. His journey was stormy, but his sheer willpower led him into remission.
The next hurdle was daunting
He remained MRD flow positive even after two high-dose chemotherapies, and there was no family match – only a matched unrelated donor (MUD) option. Yet, family, friends, and doctors came together, pooling resources to make his MUD BMT possible, practically on an outpatient basis.
Today, two years post-transplant, his results speak louder than words.
He is working, thriving, and inspiring others, spreading the message that blood cancer can be conquered – with the right attitude, the right team, and divine blessings.
Behind this success was a seamless team effort – especially from Aastha Gupta and Shrinidhi Nathany , whose timely nudges from the lab guided critical treatment decisions. Entire team of Nikhil M Kumar, Anusha S., Rachit Agrawal, Chitresh Yadav, Anindita Paul, Dr. Neha Rastogi Panda is happy to see this one report
This story is a tribute to courage, collaboration, and cutting-edge care – proof that where there is grit and guidance, miracles happen.
We’ll be back soon with another story… another chapter of hope.”
More posts featuring Rahul Bhargava on OncoDaily.