Manisha's 500k steps for Feb
Manisha Saggu is raising money for Myeloma UK
Story
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
As some of you will know, my amazing Dad has Myeloma which is a blood cancer arising from the plasma cells.
Let me tell you a bit about how amazing my Dad is! He is the most kind, most generous and most understanding man in the world... and that’s not even me being dramatic! Ramnik and I are so blessed to have such an fabulous Dad (my mum is super as well!). There is nothing my Dad would not do to ensure my Mum, Ramnik and I are happy. He also has 2 son in laws, who he loves like they are his own sons. We really are blessed to have him!
Sadly in August 2011 my Dad was diagnosed with myeloma. So far had to have 2 stem cell transplants and a shit load of chemo!
I will never forget the day my Mum told me. She picked me up from work (she never picks me up from work, so I knew something was wrong) and her brother was in the car. She told me the news and I was silent. I didn't know what to say. At the time, I didn't cry, I didn't speak... I froze. When I got through the front door, I saw my Dad sitting on the sofa, he was crying (he never cried in front of us before!). I broke down, and the first thing I said to him was "Dad you can't die... you can't leave us yet!"
Treatment started straight away! The chemo was so aggressive that his frail body could not cope and he ended up in ICU over the August bank holiday. It was torture, the worst 2 weeks of my life. I remember seeing all the machines, the nurses running over to him, the doctors trying every single thing they could to get him better... and then a miracle happened... he started getting better.
He was then able to start chemo again. We had our good and bad days, but he had the strength to keep fighting.
The next big downer for my Dad was when his hair started falling out. My Dad had never cut his hair before as my Dad is a proud Sikh. The moment he started losing his hair was heartbreaking for him. He decided he had no option but to go to the barbers and get it shaved off. I remember going with him, and sitting there as they did the first bit. This was the second time I saw him cry! He felt the cancer was now taking his faith as well as his life.
After this my Dad knew that he couldn't let the cancer win! He went from strength to strength, getting better each day. Then we got the amazing news... the nasty cancer was gone... for now.
A few years passed and life for my Dad was going really well. In 2017 he was so excited as I was getting married. In his eyes, life could not be better. 2 weeks before my wedding he was called to the hospital. He thought it was just another routine appointment.. but it wasn't.. it was to tell him the news we had been dreading. The cancer was back... more aggressive than before. I am so fortunate that they agreed for him to wait 2 weeks so he could be at my wedding! On the day he made me so proud but I could tell he was in a lot of pain. The funny thing is no one else knew apart from my mum and my sister. The week after, the chemo started again...
In January 2018 he was back in for another transplant (his final one, as you can only have two!) Although considered a success, his recovery was a lot slower and it has left him a lot weaker. Although he is doing okay now, he gets sick very easily. I must say we are so lucky in the UK to have the NHS! They have been and continue to be amazing.
We, as a family have been so lucky to even have Dad still here! Whilst we accept that a cure may not be found in his lifetime, there will be another 'Manisha' in the future who has to deal with her amazing Dad receiving this diagnosis, but this Manisha (she may not even be called Manisha... chances are pretty slim) will not have to worry, because there will be a cure... and the reason why there will be a cure is because of people like you who donate to charities like Myeloma UK who in turn work tirelessly to find that cure.
On behalf of all the Manisha's out there, and those Manisha's to come... Thank you... Thank you for helping us find a cure! You’re amazing!
As some of you will know, my amazing Dad has Myeloma which is a blood cancer arising from the plasma cells.
Let me tell you a bit about how amazing my Dad is! He is the most kind, most generous and most understanding man in the world... and that’s not even me being dramatic! Ramnik and I are so blessed to have such an fabulous Dad (my mum is super as well!). There is nothing my Dad would not do to ensure my Mum, Ramnik and I are happy. He also has 2 son in laws, who he loves like they are his own sons. We really are blessed to have him!
Sadly in August 2011 my Dad was diagnosed with myeloma. So far had to have 2 stem cell transplants and a shit load of chemo!
I will never forget the day my Mum told me. She picked me up from work (she never picks me up from work, so I knew something was wrong) and her brother was in the car. She told me the news and I was silent. I didn't know what to say. At the time, I didn't cry, I didn't speak... I froze. When I got through the front door, I saw my Dad sitting on the sofa, he was crying (he never cried in front of us before!). I broke down, and the first thing I said to him was "Dad you can't die... you can't leave us yet!"
Treatment started straight away! The chemo was so aggressive that his frail body could not cope and he ended up in ICU over the August bank holiday. It was torture, the worst 2 weeks of my life. I remember seeing all the machines, the nurses running over to him, the doctors trying every single thing they could to get him better... and then a miracle happened... he started getting better.
He was then able to start chemo again. We had our good and bad days, but he had the strength to keep fighting.
The next big downer for my Dad was when his hair started falling out. My Dad had never cut his hair before as my Dad is a proud Sikh. The moment he started losing his hair was heartbreaking for him. He decided he had no option but to go to the barbers and get it shaved off. I remember going with him, and sitting there as they did the first bit. This was the second time I saw him cry! He felt the cancer was now taking his faith as well as his life.
After this my Dad knew that he couldn't let the cancer win! He went from strength to strength, getting better each day. Then we got the amazing news... the nasty cancer was gone... for now.
A few years passed and life for my Dad was going really well. In 2017 he was so excited as I was getting married. In his eyes, life could not be better. 2 weeks before my wedding he was called to the hospital. He thought it was just another routine appointment.. but it wasn't.. it was to tell him the news we had been dreading. The cancer was back... more aggressive than before. I am so fortunate that they agreed for him to wait 2 weeks so he could be at my wedding! On the day he made me so proud but I could tell he was in a lot of pain. The funny thing is no one else knew apart from my mum and my sister. The week after, the chemo started again...
In January 2018 he was back in for another transplant (his final one, as you can only have two!) Although considered a success, his recovery was a lot slower and it has left him a lot weaker. Although he is doing okay now, he gets sick very easily. I must say we are so lucky in the UK to have the NHS! They have been and continue to be amazing.
We, as a family have been so lucky to even have Dad still here! Whilst we accept that a cure may not be found in his lifetime, there will be another 'Manisha' in the future who has to deal with her amazing Dad receiving this diagnosis, but this Manisha (she may not even be called Manisha... chances are pretty slim) will not have to worry, because there will be a cure... and the reason why there will be a cure is because of people like you who donate to charities like Myeloma UK who in turn work tirelessly to find that cure.
On behalf of all the Manisha's out there, and those Manisha's to come... Thank you... Thank you for helping us find a cure! You’re amazing!