Members of the community are joining hands to help an international student from India battling cancer with no family or relatives by her side. 

27-year-old Radhika Modi is currently receiving treatment at Dandenong Hospital and underwent an emergency surgery to contain kidney infection last week.

Earlier, Ms Modi was diagnosed with cancer after arriving in Australia last year with her husband from Ludhiana (Punjab). Though she had a private health insurance, she travelled to India for her treatment.

She returned to Australia earlier this year to resume her Master's degree in Accounting in Melbourne, only to find her husband had left her.

“He is believed to have moved to Italy without informing her,” a friend said.

While continuing her course, Ms Modi took up a job at a restaurant to support herself.

But last week, her condition deteriorated and she was referred to hospital where doctors have performed a surgery on her but have given a poor prognosis of her condition.

Simranjit Singh who volunteers for Asylum Seekers Resource Centre and is taking care of Ms Modi says he is trying to arrange for an accommodation for her where she can be provided with the required medical care.

“Currently, there’s nobody from her family or friends and her condition is such that doctors say she can’t be given chemotherapy. So they are looking to move her for palliative care,” he Mr Singh told SBS Punjabi.

Mr Singh says community organisations are pooling resources to organise care for her.

A Perth-based friend of Ms Modi has also started an online fundraiser in order to pay for her medical treatment.

“Though she has an insurance cover, it says her’s is a pre-existing condition, it may not cover it. Our endeavour is that she should get the care she needs without worrying about having to pay for it,” Harpreet Singh told SBS Punjabi. 

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