A brave single mother and resident of Dubai who fought against five types of cancers for 14 years died last Sunday.
Shalini Santhosh, 44, worked as an insurance assistant with Aster DM Healthcare before succumbing to cancer on June 17. She died in an intensive care unit at the Omega Hospital, Hyderabad, India, where she underwent treatment till the last moments of her life. Shalini was born and raised in Hyderabad, India.
Shalini's son, Sagar Santhosh Kumar, a 21-year-old employee of Aster DM said his mother single-handedly raised him after his father abandoned them when Sagar was only eight. Furthermore, his father had left them with bank loans and credit card debt, making matters tougher for mother and son. Despite all the challenges, Shalini showed extraordinary grit and single-handedly paid for her son's education and raised him.
"She never showed me the pain she was experiencing. I never felt like I didn't have a father because she would provide me with everything I asked for. She was a perfect mom. We had several financial issues, but she used to satisfy all my needs and wants," he told Khaleej Times.
Sagar, a former student of Our Own English High School, Dubai, went on to study at Manipal University. He now works as a graphic designer with Aster DM Healthcare. "It was my mother's biggest wish to see me graduate and find a job. She fulfilled that dream before she died. I know she was happy," he said.
Sagar added: "Mom was anxious about what I'd do once she is gone. In April, she gave me a letter with all our bank and house details, passwords, and necessary documents. She left everything she made in her nephew's and my name. She saw to that I would be comfortable."
Long battle against cancer
Shalini's long and torrid fight against cancer began in 2004 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her older sister VM Seema said: "She underwent a single mastectomy and six cycles of chemotherapy at that time. For four and a half years, she was fine. In 2009, we realised cancer had spread to the lungs, and since then she has been in treatment."
Over the years, Shalini's cancer spread to her ribs, bones, sternum, and other vital organs. "She was in and out of treatments such as radiations, chemotherapy, and other treatments from Tawam Hospital in Al Ain. My sister was in severe pain. However, she had a very positive attitude and refused to stop fighting," said Seema.
According to Seema, Shalini would undergo check-up and diagnosis in Hyderabad, get prescription from doctors in India, and undergo treatment in the UAE. The family could not afford the costly treatments in India, which would amount to anything between Rs50,000 to Rs100,000 (Dh2,500 to 5,400) for a 21-day treatment. "She was in such severe pain. She would take copious amounts of morphine to keep the pain at bay. She stayed solid for her son," she added. Seema said: "The last few months of her life were very hard on her. Cancer spread to the liver, thyroid glands, and then to the brain. Over the last three months, cancer had become very aggressive."
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