Woman Drives Auto-rickshaw to Fund Husband’s Cancer Treatment

In the quiet village of Botechaur, Surkhet, the story of Tulasara Khadka is a poignant testament to a wife's unwavering devotion and the harsh realities faced by many families in Nepal. Facing the devastating diagnosis of her husband Ambar Bahadur's bone marrow cancer, Tulasara has taken on the arduous task of driving an auto-rickshaw, a symbol of her relentless fight for his life.

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In my life, sorrow has outweighed happiness. Perhaps this is my fate.

Her daily struggle is a race against time and dwindling resources. With no regular income, each day is a battle to earn enough for basic sustenance while simultaneously trying to arrange funds for her husband's life-saving transplant. The family has already poured over Rs 5 million into his treatment, selling land and relying on community support, yet the Rs 6 million required for the transplant remains an insurmountable hurdle.

The emotional and financial toll is immense. Tulasara's husband, who had previously sought foreign employment to support the family, returned home ill and has been bedridden since taking over the auto-rickshaw business. The burden has now fallen on their two teenage sons, who have sacrificed their education and gone to India to work, sending back what little they can.

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Where can we find Rs 6 million needed for his treatment? We had to return home without treatment because we could not arrange the money.

This situation highlights a critical issue in Nepal: the immense cost of advanced medical treatment and the lack of adequate social safety nets. While Tulasara's determination is inspiring, her story also underscores the systemic challenges many Nepalis face when confronted with severe illness. The need for accessible healthcare and financial support mechanisms is starkly evident in her desperate plea for help, a plea echoed by countless families facing similar crises.

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I have not been able to treat my husband due to a lack of money. The thought that he might recover if we manage treatment keeps troubling me.