Beauty content creator and entrepreneur Malvika Sitlani has raised over ₹28 lakh to support her mother’s cancer treatment, after launching an online fundraiser that reached 70 percent of its ₹40 lakh target within a day.
Sharing the appeal with her more than 7 lakh Instagram followers, Malvika opened up about the emotional and financial toll her family has been facing as her mother battles cancer for the third time.
Jenifer Sitlani’s Long Battle With Cancer
Malvika revealed that her mother, Jenifer Sitlani, has been a cancer survivor for nearly 20 years. The disease, which initially began as right breast cancer, has now returned for the third time, requiring aggressive treatment.
“What began as right breast cancer slowly turned into years of surgeries, scans, treatments, and countless hospital visits. Even after completing multiple lines of treatment, her fight is far from over,” Malvika wrote in a note attached to the fundraising page.
According to details shared in the fundraiser, 58-year-old Jenifer is currently undergoing chemotherapy every 21 days in Dubai. Her most recent PET-CT scan reportedly shows cancer involvement in multiple bones, including the spine, ribs, and femur, along with liver enlargement, multiple lesions, and fluid accumulation in the pelvis.
“Emotionally and Financially Exhausting”
Malvika described her mother’s ongoing treatment as both emotionally and financially draining for the entire family. She said that while the physical pain is borne by her mother, the strain has extended far beyond medical concerns.
“This journey is not just physically painful for her. It has been emotionally and financially exhausting for our entire family,” she shared.
The influencer, who has two brothers—Jay and Jake—said she is currently the sole earning member of the family. Despite doing everything possible to continue her mother’s treatment, the mounting costs eventually made it unsustainable for her to manage alone.
“As her daughter, I am currently the sole earning member supporting a family, and while I do everything in my capacity to keep her treatment going, the costs have reached a point where I cannot do this alone anymore,” Malvika said.
She added that the treatment involves frequent PET-CT and MRI scans, chemotherapy cycles, oncology consultations, medications, pain management, and supportive care for liver involvement and mobility, along with close monitoring to prevent rapid disease progression.
“Never Thought I’d Have to Do This”
While sharing the fundraiser link on social media, Malvika admitted that seeking public help was not something she ever imagined doing.
“I never thought I’d ever have to do this, but that’s just life,” said the founder of Masic Beauty, as she thanked her followers for their empathy and support during a difficult time.
The response has been overwhelming. At the time of writing, over 1,600 donors had contributed, collectively raising ₹28.68 lakh for Jenifer Sitlani’s treatment.
Malvika’s openness has sparked an outpouring of support online, with many praising her courage in speaking candidly about financial vulnerability, caregiving, and the realities of long-term illness.
