Her efforts played an important part in eliminating illiteracy in Kerala. She also involved herself in the "Akshaya: Bridging the Digital Divide" project that made 'Malappuram the first E-Literate district in India. After the polio about paralysed her below the waist, she continued to move around in a wheelchair. But a few years later in 2000, she was diagnosed with cancer making things much more difficult for her. She successfully underwent chemotherapy at Amala Hospital, Thrissur. While at the hospital, she counselled other patients and instilled hope in them for their future. In 2002, she went for the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca and performed the Hajj, fulfilling her longtime dream. By 2004, she had returned to her work, but another tragedy struck her. She slipped on the floor of her bathroom breaking her spinal vertebral column, bringing her movements to a virtual halt. She was partially paralysed below the neck. Later, due to the non-functioning of muscles, she had to resign to a life with urine bag. As she lay on the waterbed, trying to cope up with the pain and inability, she started writing her memories on pages of notebooks using colour pencil. Despite the odds, she still continues her work alongside 100 other volunteers at "Chalanam" with continued determination. The different challenges to her health played havoc with not only the family's psyche but also their finances. To secure finances for her treatment, she wrote her memories painstakingly lying on the bed, word by word, and completed the book – "Mouna Nombarangal". Her autobiography, "Swapnangalkku Chirakukalundu" (Dreams have wings) was released in April 2009. Sukumar Azhikode hailed it as comparable to some of the greatest biographies in history. An earlier collection of her memoirs "Mouna Nombarangal" (Silent Tears) had been released by the Chief Minister of Kerala V. S. Achuthanandan on 26 October 2006. She has also authored 3 other books. She uses the royalty from the book for her medical expenses. Her achievements despite her physical disabilities made her an icon of the literacy campaign of the 1990s in Kerala. A biographic film entitled "Rabiya Moves", was made by director Ali Akbar and was noted for its motivational content and translated into 14 languages. Various publications across the world have written more than a 100 articles on her work. Her first national recognition came in 1993 when she won the National Youth Award from the Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government of India.