It takes a lot of strength to see the silver lining in the worst of situations. The words, “You have cancer...” is enough to bring down the mightiest, however, it barely even touched Saakarben Ravaliya. “It is okay... It could have been worse. What if it was an unexpected accident? We have time to fight back in this situation and we will fight the cancer,” she said. Her infectious spirit and passion continues to light up lives in the Ravaliya family days after she died.
Her passing away was celebrated in a way synonymous to her personality. Approximately 5,000 persons saw her off. The family did not wish for a conventional unhappy mourning of their beloved's death. They didn't wish to hurt the family matriarch's sentiments that way. After all, how fair would it really be to grieve after someone who celebrated each day until her last? Saakarben's husband and owner of Rajkot's famed Seasons Hotel, Vejabhai said, “I still remember that day... She had been healthy her entire life. Not even a fever. She, however, wasn't feeling well on April 7, when we took her to a doctor. After some tests, we found out she had blood cancer. While we were shaken by the news, we quickly accepted reality. Our entire family- son Ketan, daughter Bhoomi, and daughter-in-law Namrata, we sat down next to her and broke the news. However, she wasn't as upset and instead took it in such stride, she rather gave us the strength to face it.”
“Saakar filled our lives with incomprehensible joy. We thought, why not give her a positive, jovial see-off when we have spent our lives living happily together? We couldn't get ourselves to mourn for a person who has given us nothing short of love and optimism for as long as she lived. The entire family decided to not give her grieving departure.”
Vejabhai informed that after she was diagnosed with cancer, they took Saakarben for treatment at Mumbai's MB Agrawal Hospital. They later took her to the US, for better and more versatile treatment. After admitting her at MB Anderson Hospital, Houston, Texas, doctors decided that she will undergo a bone marrow transplant. Fortunately, her son Ketan was a match and the operation was conducted successfully. New blood only begins to form 20 days after a transplant. Saakarben's health began to deteriorate on the 10th day and she took her last breath on September 9.
Saakarben's life has been inspirational to those who knew her. Born in a village in Kutch, Gujarat, in 1956, education wasn't given much importance in her Ahir community at the time. However, she went on to graduate from Adipur College. For as long as she lived, she equally contributed in the family business, and looking after the home.
“Even though she isn't present amongst us physically, she continues to remain in our thoughts,” Vejabhai said.
