Girl fights leukemia for 22 months, returns to IIM-L to finish course
LUCKNOW: IIM Lucknow's (IIML) students and professors needn't look far for crisis management lessons. Anjali Bharti has just turned the page on that and more --- the 28-year-old has scored over cancer and come back to finish her course after a hiatus of nearly two years.
"It's a new normal. I value myself more now. I don't laugh like before; I get anxious easily, but my spirits are high to chase life independently again," Anjali told TOI as she rejoined her PGP programme.
It all began in 2022 when Anjali cleared CAT and joined IIML, only to end up finishing her first year in a wheelchair after being diagnosed with stage III leukaemia (blood cancer). The Patna native, whose father was a driver and died in an 2012 accident, was confined to hospital for 22 months after eight cycles of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.
Health problems started within two months of Anjali joining IIML.
"My appetite went for a toss. I had frequent stomach aches and fever. When I returned home during Chhath Puja (2022), my mother insisted on consulting a doctor, who broke this shattering news," said the physics graduate from Magadh University who had worked four years with the govt-run India Posts before cracking CAT. Anjali's mother did tailoring jobs to support the family.
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Just to be sure, Anjali consulted doctors at a specialised cancer hospital in Patna and they confirmed the findings. She was hospitalised for a month, missing her mid-term IIML exams. "Even before winters, I was wearing woollen in Sept. I was too feeble to even stand and had excruciating pain in my knees," said Anjali.
She returned to IIML in Jan 2023 on the wheelchair to take missed exams but had to return to Patna soon for treatment.
By that time, the cancer cells had affected her lower body until waist, and she was referred to Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai. She took a chance, fought chemo cycles. Her body and mind held her up long enough to undergo a bone marrow transplant (BMT).
For Anjali, it was brother Ashish who became her anchor. He gave up his UG seat at IITBHU just to be by Anjali's side. "I remember it was her birthday on Nov 20 (2023) when she underwent BMT.
We were determined to get her cured. Ours is just not a story of survival but love," said Ashish, Anjali's bone marrow donor.
Although the treatment was costly, support from her brother and crowdfunding by IIML friends helped. "I am alive today because of my brother who donned several hats - of a nurse, caretaker, therapist, hope and ultimately my saviour," Anjali said.
The journey was difficult even after BMT, with infections creeping in.
But her firm resolve paid off when Anjali was allowed to go home in March this year after living in isolation for 83 days.
Anjali soon called up IIML for re-enrolment and got a positive response. "The institute allows a maximum two-year deferment in medical cases like these. Her (Anjali's) journey of battling cancer and resuming academics offers unparalleled inspiration to the entire IIML community," IIML professor and PGP chairman Alok Dixit said.
Prof Suresh Jakhar, a former PGP chairperson who supported Anjali, described her journey as one of "extraordinary courage, resilience, and determination".
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