UTTAR PRADESH : For Sapna Upadhyaya, the turning point in her life came on a dark, quiet day in 2002, outside the pediatric ICU at King George’s Medical University. She and her husband had been anxiously waiting for their daughter Swarnima, who was five years old then and was suffering from a high fever after being diagnosed with asthma.
Amid their distress, Sapna overheard a woman sobbing in a corner. The woman’s son, critically ill with acute pneumonia, needed urgent surgery, but the family couldn’t afford the required Rs 16,000.
Moved by the mother’s helplessness, Sapna looked at her husband. Without hesitation, he offered Rs 20,000 to ensure the child received immediate medical attention. Remarkably, after the intervention, their own daughter’s condition began to improve.
Today, Swarnima is a healthy 27-year-old pursuing a career in journalism.
This incident was a divine turning point for Sapna. Deeply impacted by the experience, she vowed to dedicate her life to helping others, focusing specifically on underprivileged children battling cancer.
Previously a student of microbiology and a homemaker, Sapna left her academic and family pursuits to become a full-time philanthropist. She began by providing medicine, food, and financial assistance to children seeking treatment at government hospitals. Over time, Sapna noticed that many children coming to the hospital were diagnosed with cancer, often from rural areas, and faced severe financial burdens due to the costly treatment process.
Determined to make a difference, Sapna committed herself to supporting these children and their families. “Cancer is not easily curable, but early detection and treatment can alleviate some of the financial and emotional pain,” she explains.
In 2005, Sapna took a leap of faith and founded the Eeshwar Child Welfare Foundation, with the support of her businessman husband. The foundation’s mission was simple: to provide care and financial assistance to cancer-stricken children.
Sapna’s work, however, was not without its challenges. She faced resistance, especially when she initiated free cremation services for children who died of cancer. “People conducting the rituals resisted initially due to financial losses,” she recalls. She also struggled with the lack of resources, relying on rented spaces to run the foundation’s activities.
Despite these obstacles, Sapna’s work continued to grow. “With the help of around 12,000 donors—including doctors, social groups, and individuals—Eeshwar Foundation has provided essential services to thousands of families. Every year, the foundation distributes monthly rations, meals, and medical supplies to hospitals like KGMU and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, benefitting over 3,500 people,” says Sapna.
Over the last 19 years, this initiative has supported more than 20,000 children, with over 160 children recovering and leading active lives. In 2015, Sapna expanded her efforts to provide economic empowerment to mothers of cancer patients by setting up a craft unit where they could make and sell jewellery and other items. In 2020, she launched Swarn Food and Crafts, a spice manufacturing company, to help families who had lost their livelihoods during the COVID-19 pandemic. “This initiative provided jobs to 30 families, and 10% of the profits are directed back to the NGO,” she says.
Additionally, Sapna has been instrumental in organising weddings for five girl cancer survivors each year, helping them transition into a new phase of life.
“Being with these survivors, seeing their smiles after they’ve endured so much pain, is the most fulfilling experience,” says Sapna. Though the children’s suffering often weighs heavily on her, it is the survivors’ strength and resilience that inspire her to continue. “Of course, there are days when the children’s pain depresses me. But I’m back with renewed energy when I am reminded of the survivors. My only aim is to earn the blessings of others,” she says with unwavering conviction.
In a world often defined by individual success, Sapna Upadhyaya’s life is a testament to the power of compassion and selflessness.