Warriors and Survivors - 73

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. 

One can imagine the level of suffering and ailment in a sixty beds pediatric oncology inpatient unit where eighty percent patients belong to poor economic status. In this desperate situation, success stories of patients give us hope. Recovered patients are a source of light and hope for the rest of the oncology kids.

Dua Zahra belongs to a poor family from a village in Bhakkar. She was five years old when she started having blood cancer symptoms. She was quite young and from a poor family, and though she was having symptoms like fever, malaise, body ache etc. since long, but the family used to have medicines from a local dispensary. When she was too sick, the local doctor refused to treat her. For six months, she remained sick without treatment. Her parents brought her to children’s hospital at Lahore and she was admitted here.

Her parents started weeping when they heard their daughter was having blood cancer. Word “cancer” itself is frightening and the issues associated with its treatment are enough to disturb a whole family, particularly the poor families who are already suffering from poverty issues.

Dua Zahr’a other siblings were alone in the village, and she was with her parents in Lahore for the long treatment. In the oncology unit, every child and their family had their own hardships and stories of struggle. Dua Zahra and her parents were already depressed, and in addition, the conditions there did not raise much hopes..

The treatment started anyway, and her chemotherapy was initiated which made Dua more ill. She used to have mucositis and she was not able to eat anything. She had to have repeated blood transfusions. She lost her beautiful hair too. Blood arrangement was not easy for the family. 

It took one and half year for the chemotherapy and then she had to come for monthly injections. Despite problems and hardships, the family did not lose hope. They struggled for the health of their young one and now by the grace of Almighty Dua Zahra has recovered. 

Her counts are normal, and she is doing fine Alhumdolillah. We pray for her permanent lifetime health. May her disease never come back. Aameen. May she live healthy and happy life always as she has already seen enough in such a young age.  May all the cancer warriors see the day of recovery in their lives. Aameen

We pray for the health and happiness of Dua Zahra and her safe and successful future life and ease of his 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