By afternoon, Shaheena was complaining of severe pain in the lower left side of her abdomen. Her son, a laboratory assistant earning Rs. 5,500 (US$ 96.50) a month, frantically called his father. Shaheena was then taken to AKUH where doctors found that renal stones were obstructing her ureter. "Surgery is inevitable," the family was told.

With the help of relatives and friends, Shaheena's family managed to pool together Rs. 28,000 (US $491) to meet the cost of treatment. Her uncontrolled diabetes resulted in complications and Shaheena had to undergo four urological procedures to remove the obstruction in her kidney. By then the cost of treatment had risen to Rs. 103,000 (US $1,807). Staggering under the weight of this huge burden, the cash-strapped family sought help from AKUH. The Hospital's Patient Welfare Department intervened and offered Rs. 51,000 (US $895), and also arranged for the remaining Rs. 24,000 (US $421) through an anonymous donor.

A fully recovered Shaheena is now busy planning Raheela's wedding.