Warriors and Survivors -175

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 175

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. 

Ali started learning to ride his bike when he got flu. Parents took him to child specialist, and she diagnosed pneumonia. In a follow up appointment, doctor felt his chest was not right and there was a swelling on his chest.

Physician sent Ali and parents to emergency. The x-ray showed that the whole of Ali’s left side of his chest was whited out, possibly due to a buildup of fluid, and Ali was admitted to daycare.

In day care, more blood tests were performed, and the results had come back abnormal. Later doctors came to tell parents that it was looking like leukemia.

There was a big mass in Ali’s chest that was visible in X ray. This mass was affecting his breathing, and he had pneumonia-like symptoms. Ali was later transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit. Further testing confirmed the diagnosis as B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia . The news terrible, how can an apparently healthy child be diagnosed with cancer within a day? It was hard to engulf this truth for family. 

Over the next year and a half, Ali underwent a total of 15 procedures. Treatment consisted of steroids to shrink the mass, and 5 rounds of chemotherapy to kill the cancer in his blood and bone marrow. Initially he was too sick to bear surgery to place a central line through which medications could be administered, he required multiple cannulas, something very traumatic for a child.

But all the suffering and hard work paid off, Ali’s bone marrow biopsy came back showing no sign of leukemia and he was declared in remission. 

It was not an easy journey though. Family life was disrupted by treatment. Family was living a very chaotic life. Everything was on hold except Ali and his treatment. After a long and hard time the family now has started to see the end of the tunnel. 

Ali still has ups and downs with his treatment and follow up visits, but he is preparing to go to school. Ali and his family are very optimistic about Ali’s future, fearful at the same time that his disease never comes back. 

Lots of prayers for young Ali and family, May Allah make their future easy and may his disease never come back. Aameen

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.