Raipur woman who lost eyesight to brain tumour shares journey of studying fashion in London: ‘Given 15 days to live’

“I made myself a promise — I would never cry over it again, and I would prove every one of them wrong,” recalled 20-year-old Ashka Sunil Goya, who defied all the odds to make her dream come true. After losing her eyesight to a life-threatening tumour at age 11 and facing harsh societal judgment, Goyal overcame every hurdle to pursue her passion. Now living independently in London and studying fashion management, she actively advocates for accessibility and student life through her content platform. In an exclusive conversation, Goyal spoke to Hindustantimes.com about her battle with cancer, overcoming doubt, and achieving total independence abroad.20-year-old Ashka Sunil Goyal. (Ashka Sunil Goyal)20-year-old Goyal hails from Raipur in Chhattisgarh and now stays in London. Talking about what she does in the UK, Goyal told Hindustantimes.com, “I’m a student at London College of Fashion, studying BSc (Hons) Fashion Management. I also run @answersashka, a content brand across Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn focused on fashion, accessibility, independent living, and student life.”A terrifying diagnosisGoyal recalled how a diagnosis when she was eleven drastically changed her life.Also Read: Co-founder recalls heartwarming ride as a blind passenger with a deaf Uber driver: ‘No conversation, still understood’”I was the bubbliest little girl you’d ever meet — always laughing, always talking, always the loudest one in the room. But I was also always sick. Then one day, when I was 11, I was sitting in my fifth-grade half-yearly exam when I suddenly felt like vomiting. I asked my invigilator if I could go to the washroom — he said no. I ran anyway. I didn’t even make it to the sink before I started vomiting blood. A sweeper saw it and took me straight to my headmress, who took me directly to the doctor.”What initially seemed like a minor medical issue quickly turned out to be far more severe. Seeking better medical opinions, her family travelled across cities to find answers.”My dad rushed me to a doctor who first said it was a small tumour, removable, nothing to worry about. But he had a feeling something worse was going on, so we flew from Raipur to Chennai. That’s where my parents were told the truth — cancer, last stage. I was never told. I was only told it was a normal tumour that would be removed.”“We are not giving up”: A family’s refusal to surrenderAs doctors hesitated to operate due to high risks, her family refused to give up hope. Supported her family’s determination, they decided to fight for her survival against all odds.”In Mumbai, we went from hospital to hospital. The tumour was sitting in my nasal cavity, pressing on my optic nerves. Every surgeon we met said the surgery was too risky. Back home, people were saying, ‘Bring her back. Let her die peacefully in her own bed.’ I was given 15 days to live. My chachu [Uncle] stood up and said, ‘We are not giving up. We are going to save her. All of us.’ That turned it into a fight.”The aggressive treatments took a heavy physical toll on her young body. During this intense medical battle, her vision suddenly disappeared without warning.”We kept trying. I lost my hair. Chemotherapy meant daily injections — some days seven or eight — and it was harsh. Then, radiotherapy, mouth sores so bad I couldn’t eat or drink for a month, and I lost 20 kilograms. On a journey back to Raipur, my sight went completely, with no warning. I turned to my dad and said, ‘Papa, I can’t see anything.’ Within days, we were back in Mumbai.”Relatives called her “a burden”Along with physical challenges, she had to endure insensitive comments from society. A successful surgery eventually saved her life, though her vision could not be restored.”Relatives said things right in front of us — that I was a burden, that no one would marry a blind girl, that my life was finished. Treatment continued until we found a surgeon who finally agreed to operate. The surgery was successful, the tumour was removed, but my eyesight never came back. My parents kept telling me, ‘Give it six months.’ That went on for four years.”“You can’t study fashion”Returning to school brought new obstacles, including discouragement from teachers. Instead of breaking her spirit, the scepticism fueled her motivation to succeed.”Eventually, I went back to a mainstream school and learned to use a laptop with a screen reader. One day, my science teacher asked the class what we wanted to study, and when I said ‘fashion,’ she told me in front of everyone, ‘You can’t study fashion, you are blind.’ That night I cried, and then I made myself a promise — I would never cry over it again, and I would prove every one of them wrong.”Defying doubt and stigmaTo prepare for studying abroad, she took steps to demonstrate she could live on her own. building a strong portfolio and managing daily life independently, she achieved her goal.”I found Fashion Management and set my sights on the London College of Fashion. My dad said yes, but asked me to first prove I could live independently — so I moved to Mumbai alone for 11th and 12th grade, did internships, built a portfolio, and got in.”Navigating physical, emotional, and social hurdlesShe broke down the multilayered challenges she experienced throughout her diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Reflecting on the gruelling medical procedures, she detailed the physical toll the illness exacted on her body.”Physically, losing my hair, daily chemo injections, radiotherapy, mouth sores that stopped me eating or drinking for a month, losing 20 kilograms, and eventually losing my sight completely.”The psychological strain proved equally difficult to navigate as she adjusted to her new reality. She recalled entering a prolonged state of emotional detachment while coming to terms with the ordeal.”Emotionally, I went numb for a couple of years. I’d cry, or not talk to anyone, never smile, never really connect. I never processed what was happening — my body just ran on autopilot.”The sudden loss of vision disrupted every aspect of her daily exence and routines. Basic activities and simple pleasures overnight became entirely inaccessible.”Practically, everything I’d known stopped. I couldn’t use my phone, couldn’t watch TV, couldn’t see my friends, couldn’t go to school.”Beyond the medical struggles, she encountered cruel remarks and prejudice from those around her. Cruel assumptions about her gender and disability repeatedly challenged her resolve.”Socially, relatives said things directly in front of my family: that I was a burden, that no one would marry a blind girl, that my life was finished simply because I was a girl and blind. A teacher once told me in front of my whole class that I couldn’t study fashion because I was blind.”Embracing independence abroadNow based in the UK, she manages her daily routine entirely on her own terms. She continues to share her story publicly to inspire others and raise awareness.”Today I’m a student at LCF, living alone in London, cooking my own meals, getting around with my cane, studying on my laptop and phone, and telling my story publicly.”Also Read: Vows in Tamil, explained in English: Heartwarming love story of deaf founder, hearing husbandShe added, “Even now, as an adult, the hurdle is accessibility gaps between countries — something I can do independently in London, I sometimes can’t do independently in India, which is genuinely disappointing.”