Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 106
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.
This is four years old Sania. She doesn't know it yet, but in a short while she will be diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare malignant liver cancer that affects, on average, 1 in a million children... and her life will never be the same. Her parents, feel privileged to tell me her story.
“On a fated September day, a playful tickling of her tummy revealed a mass in her abdomen which was finally confirmed by an ultrasound. Fearing the worst, we contacted Children's Cancer Hospital where the next diagnostic studies (MRI, blood tests, biopsy) were recommended and finally scheduled, as there are queues for all diagnostics test inside hospital due to patients load.”
Sania was diagnosed with stage III hepatoblastoma on Oct. 1, 2022. All the clinicians were very concerned; her parents were devastated. The news was her tumor could not be removed by surgery. It was decided after a meeting of health practitioners that Sania would have to receive chemotherapy prior to even discussing whether she would qualify for tumor resection or a liver transplant.
Mother told, “One thing we knew was that she was in the right place, under the vigilant care of multidisciplinary experts. Having just relocated to Lahore in the previous months, we were still uncertain of our surroundings, challenges were there, but one thing we knew to be true amid the crisis: Children’s Hospital was the right choice for her treatment”.
Sania received four cycles of chemotherapy to reduce the size of her tumor while her oncologists, surgeon, radiologists coordinated their efforts to determine the best surgical approach and lay the groundwork for a possible surgery. Sania underwent a successful complete surgical resection of her tumor on Jan. 6, 2023.
“Today, Sania is in remission. The darkest clouds have dissipated, and we hope to continue to watch little soul thrive and develop. The experience of treating Sania’s hepatoblastoma has not only taught us to be the best parents we can be but has also brought out the absolute best in most people we have met in hospital during her treatment.” Said her father.
Her mother said, “We pray this never happens to any parent and their child but say to those in a similar situation to trust Allah and communicate with your health providers. We were graced with the very best healthcare team. Most of them will say that they were just doing their job, unaware that in so doing they have changed our lives and touched our family in indescribable ways. Allah has given Sania another chance at life. May Allah bless all who do good for others”.
Let’s pray for the complete recovery of Sania, may her disease never come back. Aameen. May her parents always see her healthy growth.
Lots of prayers for Sania and his family. May all the sick children recover soon, and their diseases never come back and may they live normal, healthy life again. Aameen
Note: Names have been changed to protect identity
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