On September 12, 2024, we lost a beloved husband, father, and friend, Nikhil Sharma, to a courageous battle with colon cancer. At 48 years old, cancer claimed yet another young soul.

His sudden departure leaves a profound void in the lives of his wife, Sandhya, and their two children, Akshat and Anika. Akshat, 19, is autistic and requires ongoing care, while Anika, 15, is navigating high school during this challenging time.

Nikhil was a nice person, compassionate, kind, and always helpful. Family always came first for him. Nikhil was the rock of his family, providing unwavering love and support. Sandhya and Nikhil met right after college and got married against their family's wishes. They had been supporting each other and raising their daughter and autistic son.

In August 2023, Nikhil was admitted to the hospital for exhaustion and was diagnosed with low hemoglobin. With further testing, doctors found that he was suffering from stage 4 colon cancer. After multiple rounds of chemo and radiation, the tumor had reduced in size, but the doctors couldn't operate as it had metastasized to other organs near the colon. The uncertainty brought by the diagnosis affected Nikhil and his family the most. There was cause for concern every few weeks or months: recurrences, risks with surgeries, multiple treatments, side effects, tests, and appointments. Through all these difficult times, his wife Sandhya was the one suffering most, facing the uncertainty of the future for the family and kids, taking care of Nikhil and the kids.

Nikhil was the sole breadwinner of the Sharma family. He had a small life insurance policy provided by his employer, which would cover only the healthcare/medical costs that the employer-provided health insurance didn't cover. With his passing, Sandhya, who has dedicated herself to raising their children and hasn’t worked outside the home in over 25 years, is now facing the challenge of providing for her family under extremely difficult circumstances.

It would be a great gesture and the least help that we can extend to his family at this time of great loss and suffering.