'We Just Kept Going': A Punjab Family’s Journey Through Cancer, Debt And Govt Health Scheme

The road from Patiala to Sangrur is not very long on a map. But for one man, it stretched into something far heavier, measured not in kilometres, but in fear, silence, and the weight of a son watching his mother slip away. Each trip marked another hospital visit. Another set of test results. Another bill to be paid. For Gurpinder Jeet Singh, a driver in Patiala, recent months have meant repeated hospital visits, rising medical bills and uncertainty over his mother’s health.His 65-year-old mother, Baljit Kaur, was diagnosed with uterine cancer after initially experiencing weakness and loss of appetite. “She gradually stopped eating. Even drinking water became difficult,” he said.After visits to local clinics, she was referred to Rajindra Hospital,

where tests confirmed the diagnosis. Treatment began soon after, but costs mounted quickly.“In the first few weeks, we spent over Rs 60,000,” Gurpinder said. “As a driver, arranging more money was difficult. I started thinking about loans and selling belongings.”Doctors advised chemotherapy followed by surgery, depending on her response. As consultations continued across hospitals, Gurpinder learned about the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana.“Someone at the hospital mentioned it. I didn’t believe it at first, but I checked and completed the formalities,” he said.After verification, the family was enrolled under the scheme, which provides cashless treatment across various government and empaneled private hospitals. Health officials said the programme aims to expand access to treatment across income groups, requiring only basic identification for enrollment.Following registration, Baljit Kaur continued chemotherapy and later underwent surgery. Doctors noted that uninterrupted treatment was crucial. Doctors agree that when care isn’t delayed due to financial constraints, outcomes improve. She underwent around 12 chemotherapy sessions before an eight-hour surgery. She remained in the ICU on ventilator support for several days before stabilising.“She was in the ICU for days. We just waited outside,” Gurpinder said.She was later discharged after further observation and is now recovering at home, with gradual improvement, family members said.Gurpinder estimates the total cost of treatment, including chemotherapy, surgery, ICU stay and medicines, would have been Rs 8 - Rs 10 lakh. Most expenses were covered under the scheme, though some medicines were purchased separately due to non-availability at the hospital.“The biggest relief is that we didn’t have to stop treatment because of money,” he said.For the family, the experience highlights both the strain of serious illness and the role of government healthcare support in easing financial burden.Today, Baljit Kaur is back home, recovering slowly. The treatment, worth almost more than Rs 8 lakh, was covered.Chemotherapy. Surgery. ICU. Medicines. Even hospital stay. Gurpinder still paid for a few medicines outside, those that were not available at the hospital, but the mountain he once faced had, somehow, been lifted.Baljit Kaur is now recovering. She eats a little more. Speaks a little more. Lives a little more. The journey from Patiala to Sangrur is still the same distance.But for this family, and probably many more, it became the road where despair met dignity, relief, and the return of hope.