Published on: February 24, 2023

It’s not the years in your life that count
It’s the life in your years that you live

Parul Negi writes:

Marjita will always remain one of my favorite patients. I met this bubbly girl full of energy, during my rounds at the Deepsikha Arogya Bhawan in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. Besides my role as a fund raiser, I try to interact with each of the patients and their caregivers in order to understand the physical, emotional and financial rollercoaster ride they go through, which drains them completely.

Marjita, a young, talented girl from Majauli, Assam, suffered from constant pain in her leg. This led to a series of tests at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, and she was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in the year 2015.  Even while undergoing the chemotherapy sessions, Marjita had the energy and will power to keep smiling and singing, and creating wonderful art work. I still treasure one of her creations, which she presented to me after the first successful round of treatment. We would celebrate our time with each other along with the parents and her younger brother. I would counsel her as well as her mother, who was trying to hide her stress with laughter for the sake of her loving daughter.

The second time Marjita came for a follow up, she called me as soon as she landed at Assam Bhavan in Navi Mumbai. We had remained in touch through whatsapp messages and fun forwards. I did my best to fill her young heart with positive thoughts, which I felt would be therapeutic. The next day I rushed to meet her and was taken aback seeing an extremely pale and weak Marjita. I could not believe the BIG C was engulfing her so fast. But my darling did not let Cancer take toll on her mentally. She kept laughing in spite of having difficulty in talking, sleeping & walking.

She asked me to get bright Rani coloured wool, with which she knit beautiful dolls, watching instructions on YouTube.

The final blow struck us when the doctors at the Tata Memorial Hospital recommended she receive Palliative Care, and counseled Marjita, her  parents and me. A wise Marjita understood the situation, and refused any further chemotherapy or immunotherapy. The next few days we fulfilled all her wishes.  We got her gowns, lipstick, hair clips, shoes and bag for her first day at College after her 10th Std results were declared. And despite her failing health, she managed to fulfill her dream of going to college in Assam!

A few days later, we received the dreaded news, that she had left all of us for good at the tender age of 15.  I will never forget the lesson Marjita taught me and all of us at Assam Bhavan, to live life to the fullest with a smile on our lips!

Salute to Brave Marjita! Always in my heart will you live safely forever…