If it wasn't for Swami's Divine intervention, I probably wouldn't be alive and writing this article.

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But Swami has given me a second chance at life. I feel so blessed that He has given me this golden opportunity to be a part of His subtle form mission and I pray that I'm able to progress spiritually to be a part of Prema Sai's mission.

 

My name is Remal Tappoo. This is my story. I was born into a Sai family and was brought up in Fiji. My family have been with Swami since the 1960's and my grandparents first visited Swami in the late 1960's. In the 1990's, I accompanied my parents to Puttaparthi and as a boy I had my first direct experience of Swami. Since then I have had many more trips to recharge my spiritual batteries at His Divine Lotus feet.

 

I had numerous experiences including multiple Darshans, listening to Swami’s discourses, as well as the glorious experience of an interview in Prashanti Nilayam. Interacting with Swami and being able to be inside His room for an hour is something which I cannot describe. It was pure bliss.

 

I've also had the privilege to serve in Swami’s organisation through the youth group in Fiji including being a youth leader and a regular bhajan singer.

 

In 2014, I had been unwell for more than eight months with unexplained fever, body aches and pains, and night sweats. After numerous examinations, blood tests and visit to multiple specialists, including multiple surgeries to gauge my condition, I was finally diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. This is a rare type of cancer which affects the lymph nodes (in my case it started with the lymph nodes in my chest which had

 

gradually spread out to other lymph nodes in my body). The specialist immediately recommended six cycles of ABVD chemotherapy.

 

I was 30, married with an infant child and diagnosed with cancer!

 

I vividly recall the phone call from the doctor. I cried and the only thing on my mind was that death was knocking on my door and the thought of what would happen to my young wife and baby son. There was nothing else left to do but surrender.

 

All the years of being with Swami and learning His teachings had to be put into practice - faith, fearlessness, confidence, forbearance, and positivity. When I surrendered, miracles started to happen. It gave my family hope that Swami was taking care.

 

For example, we conducted a pooja before my treatment began and vibhuti manifested on Swami’s Palm on a large framed photograph which was at our home. This vibhuti lasted exactly until the end of my treatment.

 

The treatment consisted of multiple chemotherapy medications injected into my veins every fortnight. In most cases, there would be many side effects, however, miraculously, hardly any major side effects were experienced. Even the specialist chemotherapy nurses were surprised with my progress and lack of side effects.

 

After my first session of chemotherapy, virtually all my symptoms of lymphoma had stopped. Soon I started losing my hair. After every treatment session I was kept in isolation at home with my wife and baby son Ishaan since the risk of infection was high, especially within the first nine days or so after every chemotherapy session. This time however I got to spend quality time with my son who was less than one year old.