Lokmat News Network
Aditi Sharma
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Even while battling severe illnesses, many mothers continue to place their children’s love above their own pain and fears. This Mother’s Day, here are two stories that reflect the quiet resilience, sacrifice and unconditional love that define motherhood :
Asma (name changed), 39, a teacher at an English-medium school in Chikalthana and resident of Nirala Bazaar, was forced to leave her classroom after being diagnosed with stage-three ovarian cancer. Bedridden for months during treatment, she says the hardest part was not losing her career, but watching her children silently grow anxious around her illness. “I stopped crying in front of them. A mother cannot allow fear to become the atmosphere of the house,” she said. Despite severe weakness after chemotherapy, Asma continued preparing study schedules for her daughter’s medical entrance exams from her hospital bed. She also began writing letters for her daughter as birthday notes and small reminders for the future. “I did not know how long I would live, so I wanted my words to stay with her,” she added. She had to sacrifice her profession, social life and physical comfort, but ensured her children never lost emotional security. Now recovering steadily, Asma has gradually returned to a normal life and hopes to resume teaching soon stronger, both as a mother and as a survivor.
At a time when most people were battling the fear of the pandemic, 47-year-old Neelam (name changed) from Ramnagar was quietly preparing her two sons for a life without her. In late 2019, a persistent fever led to the shocking discovery that nearly 95 per cent of her kidneys had failed. As uncertainty grew, Neelam did not allow her illness to break the spirit of her family. Instead, she began teaching her elder son everything she believed he would need in her absence cooking meals, cleaning utensils and clothes, and managing the household. “For me, the fear was never death. It was who would care for my children after me,” she recalled. Despite her worsening condition, she remained emotionally strong for her sons. Eventually, hope arrived through her elder sister, who donated a kidney despite opposition from her in-laws. Today, Neelam has returned to a healthy and active life, finding joy in ordinary moments with her family; especially the meals she now shares with the sons she once feared leaving behind.
(Photo caption - AI generated)