She is just 17 years old, but Rehana has faced, with a smile on her face, challenges that would have made grown men cry. A blood cancer patient, Rehana is the daughter of auto-driver Zaheer Hussain, and homemaker Mehamoda.

P. Raguraman, founder of Covai Aram Foundation, visits Rehana regularly. The NGO works towards supporting school children in the rural areas. Raghuraman informs us that the father-daughter duo shares a special bond, and this could be one of the reasons why Rehana continues to fight her battle against blood cancer. “Her father is everything for the girl. He goes out of his way to ensure that his daughter is comfortable. I occasionally purchase medicines for Rehana, but it is her father who is doing so much for her,” Raguraman says.

The girl’s last wish was to fly in an aircraft and meet the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister in person. “Flying was ruled out due to her health condition (her blood cancer has advanced now), but Rehana got an opportunity to tour the airport and she was also seated in a stationed flight. She also wished to meet the Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa during the latter’s visit to Coimbatore, but couldn’t. Anyway, she is thrilled that she sat on the same chair that the CM used to sit on,” Raguraman says.

Raghuraman got to know about Rehana and her condition when he received a call from a city-based hospital that was treating her. This was in 2014. Since then Raguraman has been in constant touch Rehana’s family.