India, April 2 -- Seven-year-old Khushi Bavane had only one wish as her condition worsened: to return home to her village in Uttar Pradesh and spend her final days surrounded by her grandparents, friends and the comforting familiarity of home. Diagnosed with terminal bone cancer, Khushi spent 45 days at Mumbai's Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), fighting bravely until doctors shifted her to palliative care.

"Even though she was so young, she knew something was wrong," said her uncle, Santosh Khedkar, who lives in Buldhana. "She was in pain and kept asking to go back home. But the journey was just too expensive for us."

That's when TMH stepped in.

India's largest cancer hospital arranged for a free, dignified final journey for Khushi under ...