Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 146
I am Rukh Yusuf, Clinical Pharmacist, also specialized in Total Parenteral Nutrition and Bone Marrow Transplant. I have been working in the 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.
Parents couldn’t imagine her young daughter who appeared happy and healthy not making it to her first day of school or even her next birthday.
So when they learned their little girl’s blood test during a routine exam indicated an alarmingly high white blood cell count, their initial reaction was, “Kids – babies – don’t get cancer.”
Maryam was only 18 months old. She looked a little pale. Mother assumed she probably only had a virus. But Maryam’s pediatrician suspected cancer and immediately referred her to Children’s Cancer hospital for further evaluation and diagnosis.
Investigations confirmed the parents’ greatest fear: Maryam had leukemia. It was very aggressive. Treatment needed to begin right away.
Two-and-a-half years of treatment was planned. doctors believed that Maryam would eventually be a healthy girl starting kindergarten. Family went into fight mode immediately.
Maryam’s form of childhood cancer – acute lymphoblastic leukemia, known as ALL – is the most common childhood cancer. Treatment for ALL has a high success rate.
ALL is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow in which the bone marrow makes too many lymphoblasts, an immature form of T or B lymphocytes (cells that are supposed to help fight infection).
The leukemia cells do not work like normal lymphocytes and are not able to defend against infection very well. Also, as the number of leukemia cells increases in the blood and bone marrow, less room is available for healthy white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets to be made. This may lead to infection, anemia and easy bleeding.
ALL usually becomes worse quickly if not treated. “Maryam could have died within weeks if she hadn’t been diagnosed when she was. Family was so thankful. They asked a lot of questions to doctors, but they had trust in Allah.
Within hours of Maryam’s diagnosis, journey to wellness had begun. The first year of her treatment was especially difficult, sometimes filled with daily injections of medicine, weeks of hospitalization, months-long stretches of chemotherapy, and periodic bone marrow procedures at hospital.
While Maryam doesn’t remember much about those tough days, her parents and medical team were impressed with her resilience and attitude. Maryam is just a great kid; she doesn’t complain about anything. She’s always smiling and goes with the flow.
She is tolerating well with the treatment so far and lots of prayers for her complete recovery.
Due to improved cancer therapies and supportive care, an overwhelming majority of childhood cancer patients survive. However, the same treatments that cure cancer patients may put them at risk for long-term health problems. The survivorship program serves this vulnerable population by providing them needed education, support and treatment.
Prayers for Maryam’s healthy life always. Lots of prayers for her parents and her whole family who are fighting this battle together.
Lots of prayers for all sick children to recover quickly and never experience their illnesses again. May they lead happy and healthy lives once more. Aameen.
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