By my father’s side, with Prof. Dr. Mohammad Rela.
MBBS (DU)
Daughter’s fight for father began in a seemingly ordinary July of 2019. I was a second-year MBBS student at Kumudini Women’s Medical College in Bangladesh. Leaving behind the chaos of Dhaka, I spent my days studying in Mirzapur, Tangail, by the calm waves of the Louhajang River.
My peaceful student life—immersed in green campus lawns and books—came to an abrupt halt with devastating news. My father was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.
I had always known my father as a cheerful, vibrant man. I had never seen any expression on his face other than a smile. Yet, the words “liver cirrhosis” on the medical report shattered our small world in an instant. Lectures at Kumudini, lab sessions, hanging out with friends—everything seemed to fade into the background.
My days began to pass in hospital corridors, surrounded by the bitter scent of reports and medicines. And yet, astonishingly, I never saw fear on my father’s face. There was only an indomitable smile, one that became our beacon of hope.
For a few years, things went relatively well with the help of medications. We thought the storm had passed. But fate dealt another cruel blow. In August 2023, during a routine check-up, the news came again: HCC, or liver cancer. The news hit me like a thunderbolt.
At that very moment, life’s toughest challenge stood before me—my final professional examination. On one side, my father’s life hung in the balance; on the other, my dream of becoming a doctor. I made a vow—I had to pass, no matter what. This battle would not only fulfill my dream of becoming a doctor; it would also be my first fight—for my father.
“Father and I standing in front of a hospital in Vellore.”
Between rushing from Dhaka to Tangail and back to the hospital, I somehow managed to finish my exams. A few days later, the results came—I had passed! The long-awaited “Dr.” title was finally added before my name.
Yet, the joy I had fought so hard for felt strangely muted. In the face of life’s harsh realities, my achievement seemed to fade into the background.
Then came my internship—relentless pressure, difficult experiences, and emotional breakdowns seemed to hit me all at once. Amidst it all, the doctor said, “Your father needs a liver transplant as soon as possible.” It felt like a new mountain had fallen on my head.
In that moment, I made a decision—I would put my internship on hold and return to Dhaka. My father’s treatment became my sole focus. Leaving my mother by his side, I took on every other responsibility myself—arranging funds, finding a donor, and managing every step of his treatment alone.
Finally, after organizing everything, I flew from Dhaka to Chennai with my father and mother. There was little time to think. During this difficult period, many of those I considered close drifted away. I had to endure insults, harsh words, and emotional pressure all on my own.
Yet, my determination never wavered. One thought kept me going: I would not stop until my father was healthy. I knew—my father was my entire world.
“In the silent ICU, father resting after surgery.”
During this trying time, Allah’s boundless mercy was with us. Our beacon of hope appeared in the form of Prof. Dr. Mohammad Rela, a world-renowned liver transplant surgeon. He showed us the path of light we had been searching for.
Under his guidance, every restless night of my father, every tear in my eyes, every silent corridor of the hospital—everything felt like a living movie unfolding before us.
“This smile, after a long journey, marks our victory—father and I in the cabin.”
September 18, 2024. At Rela Hospital in Chennai, my father’s liver transplant was successfully completed. The hospital’s white walls, the whispers of nurses, and the calm movements of doctors—all felt gray and surreal to me.
The long hours of the operation seemed like an eternity. I didn’t know what would happen to my father and lived each moment in anxious uncertainty. Finally, a doctor came and announced, “The operation was successful. Both the patient and the donor are risk-free.”
It felt as if the greatest battle of my young life had come to an end. All worries and anxieties vanished in an instant.
Today, my father is healthy. His eyes have regained that familiar smile; his face, that well-known brightness. Through this long journey, I have learned that the greatest strength in life is unwavering determination, and the greatest helper is the Creator.
Every night, as I sat by my father and prayed, each of his breaths gave me renewed strength. Alhamdulillah, my vow has been fulfilled—my father’s health is restored. My only prayer to the Creator is that we never face such a difficult test again. And if we do, may He grant me the indomitable courage and strength to overcome it.
