Young Woman’s Wish Granted

Kirandeep Kaur came to Canada to study business. A strong and determined young woman, she and her husband Baljeet Singh Sidhu left India to begin a life in Canada. But Kirandeep and Baljeet’s dream was not to be.

In December 2020, Kirandeep was diagnosed with cancer. Despite chemotherapy, she was admitted to the MUHC multiple times with complications. Surgical oncologist Dr. Sinziana Dumitra saw her each time, and realized there was nothing more anyone could do to save her. Kirandeep was dying.

Realizing that she would die half a world away from her family, Kirandeep was determined to go home to India. But the odds were stacked against her: the trip is not just a 14-hour flight to Delhi, but another 8 hours by train to Punjab. The medical team was unsure whether she would survive the trip. 

The MUHC surgical oncology team looked at every option to send Kirandeep home. She was too weak to travel alone, and transport by air ambulance was prohibitively expensive. Finally, they called MUHC Foundation President and CEO Julie Quenneville.

Moved by Kirandeep’s story, Julie called Mark Smith, and France Chrétien and André Desmarais, all loyal donors. When they heard Kirandeep’s heartbreaking story, they quickly took action. They not only donated the funds for Kirandeep to return home, but organized the entire journey. Dr. Dumitra called on a Friday night, and by Tuesday, Kirandeep was home.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, Kirandeep’s wish was granted.