Taliparamba: A cancer patient and her two sons, forced to sell even the doors and windows of her house to buy food and medicines, have been shifted to the hospital following the intervention of Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan.

The plight of Usha, 55, and her sons, aged 33 and 22, from Kannur came to light through a photograph published by Malayala Manorama with the caption ‘No door to knock on’. Usha is a cancer patient, while her elder son suffers from mental illness and her younger son has autism.

Acting on the Chief Minister’s instructions, District Collector P Vishnuraj, TK Govindan MLA, municipal chairman PK Zubair and tahsildar K Sunitha visited their house in Panchalayi, near Koovode. Though the authorities urged them to go for treatment, the family initially refused. Usha said she had once taken her sons to Kozhikode District Hospital but returned without treatment as no doctor was available.

The family eventually agreed to go for treatment after officials assured them that they would receive medical care and be brought back home. Their soiled Aadhaar cards and other documents were found in an old plastic cover under a cot. With no change of clothes available, they helped the three into an ambulance and took them to Pariyaram Government Medical College Hospital in the clothes they were wearing.

The Taliparamba municipality has decided to repair their house and meet their living expenses. After treatment, the three will be moved to a rehabilitation centre and brought back home once the repair work is completed.

TK Govindan MLA said Santhosh, who works in the Gulf, had offered to provide them with a house. The Human Rights Commission, which registered a case based on the report, directed the District Collector and the District Women and Child Development Officer to ensure immediate relief and protection for the family. K Baijunath, judicial member of the commission, said the case would be taken up at a sitting in Kannur. Several others have also come forward to offer help with treatment and rehabilitation.