A paediatric surgeon from Chhattisgarh was left overwhelmed with emotion after receiving an unexpected and deeply touching gift from one of his former cancer patients. Dr Tanmay Motiwala shared the heart-warming story on X, formerly known as Twitter, recounting how a young survivor named Khushi, who couldn’t attend his wedding, sent him a surprise package filled with handmade gifts.
“My heart is full. Had happy tears today. I received a package from Khushi. A surprise that touched me deeply,” Dr Motiwala wrote in his post. “I had invited her to my wedding, but she couldn’t make it. Instead, she sent me a set of beautiful handmade gifts. Yes, Khushi is my patient but more than that, she’s a dear friend. A brave cancer survivor. A child who has taught me more about life than most ever could.”
Check out the post here:
A cherished bond
Alongside the message, Dr Motiwala also shared photographs of the gifts and explained the personal significance behind one of them. Recalling a humorous hospital memory, he wrote, “I said while taking rounds and teaching her how to spell her name — ‘D O N K E Y = P A R I’. She replied, ‘D O N K E Y = TANMAY.’ We both burst out laughing.” This innocent joke became an affectionate nickname she later used on the gift.
Khushi’s journey
{{/usCountry}}Alongside the message, Dr Motiwala also shared photographs of the gifts and explained the personal significance behind one of them. Recalling a humorous hospital memory, he wrote, “I said while taking rounds and teaching her how to spell her name — ‘D O N K E Y = P A R I’. She replied, ‘D O N K E Y = TANMAY.’ We both burst out laughing.” This innocent joke became an affectionate nickname she later used on the gift.
Khushi’s journey
{{/usCountry}}In an earlier thread from 2022, Dr Motiwala had narrated Khushi’s journey as a cancer patient. “She was a quiet and resistant five-year-old with a chest wall tumour,” he shared. “I sat there for an hour trying to talk to her, joke around, show cartoons on my phone, tickle her. Nothing worked. This kid was stubborn.”
However, with time, their bond grew. “Her chemo started and we started talking. Over time she would hold my finger while I took evening rounds. She would use my earphones and listen to songs while I worked,” he recalled.
Beyond medicine
Reflecting on what Khushi meant to him, Dr Motiwala wrote, “She taught me the art to fight in life and never to let that smile down, come whatever. She also taught me that the doctor-patient bond goes much beyond tests, surgeries and bills.”
Social media reacts
The post quickly went viral, prompting an outpouring of emotion online. “Such a beautiful bond between the two of you. May it grow from strength to strength,” one user commented. “You are a true beacon of inspiration, the gifts are a powerful testament to impact you have on your patients,” another added. “Such stories need to be heard more,” wrote a third. Others called it “pure”, “moving”, and “a reminder of the beauty in kindness”.