“As the going gets tough, the tough gets going” comes absolutely true of Amandeep Kaur (19), a resident of Suddan village in Makhu block, Ferozepur district, who has already endured more pain than most people face in a lifetime. She has lost both her legs and right hand which had to be amputated due to a prolonged and mysterious disease, but she did not loose hope and continued her studies till Class 12.Despite facing immense hardships, Amandeep has remained committed to her childhood dream of becoming an officer. However, her family’s worsening financial condition now threatens to bring that dream to a halt, as dwindling resources have made it increasingly difficult for them to bear the cost of both her education and medical treatment.Earlier, while battling the unknown “illness” and consequent amputations with grit and resilience, Amandeep had scored over 90 per cent in the Class 12 examination last year where she was provided a helper for writing the exams. For a young girl whose life had been consumed visiting hospitals, unbearable pain and an uncertain future, the result was more than a marksheet. It was proof of resolve to no impediments can deter you from realising your dreams, if you have grit and determination inside.Her ordeal began in 2020 when blisters started appearing on her feet. What initially seemed like a minor problem gradually worsened, with her feet developing severe complications. Her family took her to hospitals in Ludhiana, Bathinda and Moga, spending whatever they had in the hope of saving her limbs. However, the treatment brought little relief. In April 2024, doctors had to finally amputate both her legs and right hand.Heera Singh, father of Amandeep who works as a daily wager, sold his one-acre land for her treatment but perhaps it was not enough. Later, he had to sell three buffaloes, and the family even had to part with a portion of their house to meet her medical expenses. Today, Heera Singh, his wife Harjeet Kaur, Amandeep and her younger brother Jaskaran Singh, a Class 12 student, live in the remaining portion of the house, largely confined to a single room. However, despite selling off whatever they had, the family’s financial struggle has not ended, and neither Amandeep’s medical battle.“Amandeep’s haemoglobin level had fallen to around 2 gm in February. Though it improved after treatment, she is again suffering from severe anemia and remains physically weak. The remaining portions of her legs also do not bend properly,” said the hapless father.For him, the question now is not just how to keep his daughter’s medical treatment going, but how to manage both ends meet.Meanwhile, even after having gone through a series of setbacks, Amandeep continues to look beyond her illness. “I wanted to study further and become an officer. My illness has changed my life, but I still want to look ahead and become something in life to support my family financially,” she said. Her family has appealed for financial assistance from the NGOs and other social welfare organisations to continue her treatment.At an age when most youngsters are preparing to build their career, Amandeep has been virtually rebuilding her life. From the school to a hospital bed and into a wheelchair, she has endured it all. And her Class 12 marksheet shows that the illness may have taken away her limbs, not her ambition.