A Life Measured in Dialysis Treatments
He was working as a technician in the chemical department at ISRO. He was young, employed, and supporting his family after losing his father during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many people his age, he was earning a living, supporting his mother and younger brother, and building a future step by step.
Then came the diagnosis: End Stage Kidney Disease.
Frequent hospitalizations forced him to stop working. Soon, his life began revolving around dialysis sessions at Manipal Hospital in Bangalore. The physical exhaustion was difficult enough, but the financial strain on the family became overwhelming. His mother worked as a housemaid and cook, earning a modest income that could not possibly cover the growing cost of dialysis, medicines, investigations, transportation, and emergency admissions.
“We had to literally borrow and beg money to manage my treatment costs.”
Kidney disease changed his everyday life — avoiding crowds to prevent infections, dealing with constant fatigue, and watching his family struggle under mounting medical expenses.
“Kidney disease affects you physically, mentally, and financially. It affects your family members too. I had to see my mother go through the struggle for money to take care of my dialysis expenses.”
For patients requiring long-term dialysis, treatment is not a one-time expense. It is continuous, demanding, and unavoidable. Missing sessions is not an option. Families often survive week to week, trying to keep up with costs while also maintaining some sense of normal life.
Support from the Renuka Foundation helped relieve part of that burden.
That support meant more than financial assistance alone. It gave the family some stability during an extremely uncertain time. It allowed them to focus less on how to pay for the next treatment and more on caring for one another.
Even while facing serious illness, he remained thoughtful about others living with kidney disease. He spoke about the importance of staying positive, staying careful, and continuing treatment with hope.
“I would like to urge kidney failure patients to stay strong and positive always.”
He later passed away following emergency hospitalizations in late 2025. His family shared their gratitude for the support they received during his treatment journey.
His story reflects the reality many dialysis patients face across India, where a medical diagnosis quickly becomes a financial crisis for an entire family. It is also a reminder that timely support can make a meaningful difference, not only in treatment but in dignity, relief, and hope.
That is the work the Renuka Foundation continues to do every day.