Five Questions

What Makes You Come Alive? Life is nothing but a short fleeting second that although doesn't last long but teaches you a lot. I love talking to people and understanding what drives them to struggle against this frailty of life. And in this jest of theirs, I enjoy lending them a helping hand and smiling as they bask in the glory of healing.I know how quickly death comes, and that's why I understand the value of Life. The temporary nature of life makes me realize the reality of mortality and live in the present moment every day and every second. Your Greatest Inspiration? My life experience with Nitesh, my late husband, has changed my life and point of view completely. My soul has been deeply touched by the love & blessings of thousands of people who were there with us on this journey to fight Cancer. After Nitesh got diagnosed with Cancer, I could see him transforming as he got closer to the end. Yet, in the end, he still was -as he had always been- a pure and kind soul who just wanted to serve people. The entire pilgrimage starting from Nitesh getting Cancer, then me helping him, us falling in love, getting married, moving to the US and Nitesh's peaceful passing away, transformed me as a person and gave me my realize purpose in life.

Service Space Ahmedabad Family, Gandhi Ashram & Moved By Love Retreat

After having a wonderful time in the US, it is time to visit a very sacred place which became my first home now, Gandhi Ashram, Sabarmati. I reached Ahmedabad at a very odd time of morning 3 am and it was Devesh bhai who got up at 3:00 am and showed me my place. Next morning on 5th July, Diken welcomed me to Gandhi Ashram and I was deeply touched by the way he arranged everything for me. He made me feel at home. We had delicious breakfast at Nimo’s which was supposed to be a surprise :P Thanks to Nimo for making my day which began with Indo-American breakfast followed by morning 10 am prayer at Manav Sadhna :) Sarva Dharma Sambhav (All religions are same). That's what we believe in.

The same evening I and Diken visited Ekta, who is 23 yr old jolly person going through terminal cancer and has 6 months to live. I am happy that I could meet her and give her some comfort. We had a long conversation about Life and Death and it helped her in letting her emotions out. She said she likes to do the painting but her walls were empty. Then after a few days, she sent me pictures of her recent paintings. the activity chart I shared with her, she wrote it on her wall and said I will follow it very religiously and she would visit Gandhi Ashram too:) I learned this from you all only that even if we are able to bring the smile to one person in a day, we have made our day. Be selfish, Be generous. I got very emotional when she sent me pictures of her paintings. Wow.

Service Space family in the US

Wow. Life is beautiful, and the people are wonderful. I thank God and my late husband Nitesh for showing me the path of love and care. After losing the only love I have known in life, at the age of 27, it is nothing short of a rebirth for me with so much love, compassion, gratitude, courage, and support coming my way.

All of this started with my journey with Service space. From the smoldering ashes of the past, a flower blossomed when the founder of Service Space, Nipun, walked into my life. I met many kind souls on this beautiful journey, the first of whom was Nipun bhaiya. He opened New dimension of possibilities with Love for me :) 

I humbly bow down to him for everything he has done for me. I learned from him, LEAD WITH LOVE & CHANGE THE WORLD. I met Nipun bhaiya first in Berkeley, and with that meeting, a new journey began. :)

Ode to our friend Tom Marsilje: A cancer fighter & cancer scientist

This is an Ode to our friend Tom Marsilje, who received his wings on Nov 14th.

A few months ago, we got to know of Tom Marsilje (Dr Thomas Marsilje) while searching for the right course of action for Nitesh. Tom, who was himself fighting Colorectal Cancer resolved to help humanity out by starting Late Stage MSS-CRC Trial Finder http://trialfinder.fightcrc.org/ to ensure that lack of timely information does not get in the way of Colorectal Cancer treatment. 

He himself was suffering from Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer and undergoing painful treatment. The level of maturity he has displayed is an example for all of us to carry throughout our lives.
It goes without saying that the first thing we wanted to do on landing in USA was to meet Tom. We got to spend a sunny afternoon with him in San Diego. For an unknown reason, we felt there was a higher power behind making it possible. He inspired us to fight and is our go-to person, was an ever guiding light.

Angels Walk In Our Lives

One year back, when we first landed in the US for my late husband Nitesh's cancer treatment, we felt like lost children, helpless and extremely incapable of making it out on our own. Nitesh's health was on a downward spiral and we had no clue as to how we would manage to live in this country with limited means and no support.
But then we got connected to the Karia family (Strangers for us at that time Poonam Karia, Parag Karia), who saved us. The past few months have been the most liberating ones, in our lives.

Nitesh was showered with abundant love and I was given immense amounts of support, dignity, and respect, things I felt were at times hard to come by back home. They took care of us, clothed and fed us, told us that we could defeat the disease and gave us immense satisfaction by supporting and understanding us, while many others were struggling to do so. 

In search of the miracle

This is a message to my well-wishers here. I have been feeling a heavy burden in my heart and thought it would be good to share it with my friends.

It's been one month that Nitesh and I flew to the USA for his treatment. Although we looked forward to the entire journey it was not easy, to say the least. Long hours of flying from one city to another, back and forth trip to the hospitals drained us. Nothing felt good. The toll of travel made him weaker to the extent that a few doctors refused to take his case. But he fought on and we consulted other hospitals and specialists who agreed to help us out. Our Alums and extended friend circle in the US made us feel at home and I couldn't be more thankful to them. 

But this is not a bed of roses. It never was supposed to be, and now it is getting tougher by the day. Nitesh feels a lot of pain despite medicines. His appetite is non-existent. There have been days when he goes to sleep on an empty stomach even though I prepared a meal for him.
At times, I wonder why we must go through this. We feel like two kids lost in this maze. Our friends in the USA have been witness to our struggles.