Victoria, July 13, 2025
In the heart of bustling Melbourne—a city where thousands of international students chase dreams of a brighter future—one young Nepali man, Kunal Narayan Baidya, is fighting a very different battle. Not for a degree, not for a career, but for his life.
In July 2024, Kunal’s world turned upside down. He was diagnosed with leukemia—blood cancer. Since that fateful day, his life hasn’t followed the usual rhythm of lectures and student life, but rather the harsh, painful routine of hospital reports.
He has endured five rounds of intense chemotherapy, countless bone marrow biopsies, oxygen support, and the isolating silence of the ICU. Each day, Kunal looks death in the eye, clinging to the hope that he might still survive.
“I had dreams,” he says with a voice heavy with tears. “I came to Australia to study, to do something meaningful. But now, all I wonder is—will I even live?”
Kunal’s final hope rests on a bone marrow transplant scheduled for July 16, 2025. Even if the procedure is successful, doctors say he will need at least 6 to 12 months of complete rest. During this time, he won’t be able to study, let alone work. To make things more complicated, his student visa is at risk of being suspended unless he submits medical updates—yet another legal pressure in the midst of his medical crisis.
His mother has come from Nepal to care for him, but life has become unbearably difficult. They are struggling to cover basic needs—food, rent, and medicines.
“I still want to live,” Kunal says, “but the weight of medical expenses is choking that hope.” It’s impossible to hear his words without feeling the ache in your heart.
An estimated $49,000 is needed to cover his treatment, housing, food, and ongoing medical tests. A fundraising campaign is now underway to help lift this burden and give Kunal a fighting chance to survive.
Help Kunal by donating through below link
