Rafiq had lived under the old flyover for six years. His makeshift shelter was built from torn tarpaulins, cardboard, and plastic sheets tied with worn-out shoelaces. Most walked by him without a glance—just another homeless man among many in the city.
But one day, when a deep cough left him coughing blood, he dragged himself to a government hospital. Hours later, he received the verdict: stage 3 lung cancer.