Warriors and Survivors - 72

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 72

I am Rukh Yusuf, Clinical Pharmacist, also specialized in Total Parenteral Nutrition and Bone Marrow Transplant. I have been working in Pediatric Oncology unit of a public hospital for several years. The mission of this blog is to bring to you the real-life stories of child patients suffering from cancer. Cancer is still a difficult disease to handle and treat. However, when it strikes the children, some so young that they cannot even speak, their agony is beyond expression and words. Let us pray especially for children suffering from cancer for early and complete remission. May Allah shower His Merciful Blessings upon them. Aameen.

 

Even in daylight, very often Feroza becomes afraid of darkness. She asks her mother, “Mama please turn on the light” and starts crying.

Feroza is eleven years old girl who cries often, whenever she is unable to see. It is unfortunate that her eyesight is diminishing day by day.  

Feroza is suffering from AML since few years. She was treated for Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Lahore Children’s hospital, and she had recovered luckily. The chemotherapy and hardships associated with this long treatment duration was not easy to bear. But the family managed to complete treatment somehow. Feroza and her mother managed to stay in hospital for such a long time. In addition, they had to pay multiple visits to hospital.

 After this long struggle, Feroza remained symptom-free for only one year after treatment. Later she developed symptoms again. Her mother brought her to hospital and it was revealed that her brain tumor was growing again and it was affecting her vision and lower limbs. Sometimes she was unable to move her lower body. Feroza is on some palliative medicines and the family is facing financial issues to manage these medicines.

Situation is very unfortunate; her disease is not curable anymore and the doctors have put her on palliative care. An eleven-year-old knows that she is now counting days of her life. The mother is dying daily seeing her only doll waiting for the death.

Her father could not bear this news and has become emotionless. He has become a machine who only works for some times and then becomes still. Time is difficult to pass, every second is heavy. It seems time is still for this family as their only beloved doll is preparing to leave them for good.

It is hard to bear sudden death of a loved one, but this family is seeing their princess dying every second. Her eyesight is no more, the one who once used to be happy with colorful dresses and dolls not unable to see the bright colors of her toys and her clothes.

The family has four sons and one daughter pnly. Two sons do some work and help their family. Her father is diabetic and works in some factory. Allah has blessed the family with one daughter and its great trial that one and only doll is going through this suffering in front of their eyes and the parents are helpless.  They cannot do anything to save their one and only princess.

Feroza is extremely sad that she is unable to see while she is still alive, she wants to see this world before leaving. But no one can fulfill the desire of the young one.

The humans have reached Mars but still helpless for his dear ones.

We only can pray for some miracle for the health and recovery of Feroza and her safe and successful future life and ease of her family. Nothing is impossible for our Lord.

Prayers for the complete health and recovery of all other warriors who are suffering with their families. May Allah ease and cure all patients and cancer warriors.

 

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity