Warriors and Survivors - 118

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 118

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. 

Shaheen is only 10 years old feeble girl. My heart melts whenever I see her. She looks so innocent, and this chronic disease has left her in a tragic situation.  In early March 2023, Shaheen was diagnosed with Pre-B-ALL. She belongs to Afghanistan and when doctors there could not treat her, they referred Shaheen to Children's hospital Lahore for further treatment. 

When she first arrived at Children’s hospital, she was suffering from high temperature with severe bodyaches. Parents have language barrier as well and it was a big challenge for them to explain the history and her condition.

Her treatment was initiated immediately, as she was already diagnosed in Afghanistan, though she was too weak to bear all these chemotherapy and treatment.

Each treatment phase was too challenging for Shaheen, she experienced severe nausea, hair loss, and weakness. However, her spirits remained high. Treating clinicians and nurses were too kind to Shaheen and her family. She is such an innocent child who is in a terrible situation, so everyone loves to take care for her.

After the initial treatment, she was discharged at the end of March 2023. She was prescribed with some medications and was asked to come for chemotherapy session after a week. In April 2023 she was put on consolidation chemotherapy. 

In May 2023, her follow up reports showed that she was at high-risk Pre-B ALL. She was also suffering from high fever, severe vomiting and body aches. Her consolidation regime was continued. 

No doubt the treatment journey was difficult for the family, but Allah has blessed some kindhearted souls around all of us, these kind people always try to make others easy. Shaheen is in the hands of some very caring clinicians and healthcare staff who are taking care of her. 

In June, Shaheen had a fungal infection which caused additional complications. Her parents were worried for their daughter’s life and reached out to her oncologist, who assured them that they would face this new challenge together. She is in intensive care unit these days, it’s not easy to look at her in such a fragile condition. 

Alhamdulillah, fever is getting better, and her vitals are stable. Hopefully, she will be discharged in the next week. Shaheen will have to keep coming to hospital for her chemotherapy sessions. Battle is going on....

Please join me in praying for the complete and safe recovery of Shaheen. May she fully recover and remain in good health. Let's also pray for her parents to have a happy and easy time with her. Ameen.

Lots of prayers for Shaheen and her family, and for all sick children to recover quickly and never experience their illnesses again. May they lead happy and healthy lives once more. Ameen.

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity

Warriors and Survivors -117

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 117

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. 

For a mother, CANCER is never an easy word to listen to as a diagnosis of her child. Kalsum Bibi is one of those unlucky & pitiable mothers who had to face this bitter reality. 

Shakeel is a 13-year-old brave boy with a big smile on his face. Shakeel belongs to Layyah. They are three brothers and one sister, and Shakeel is the youngest of all. He is a patient diagnosed with AML (Acute myeloid leukemia - a cancer of the blood and bone marrow). It is the most common type of acute leukemia. This type of cancer usually gets worse quickly if it is not treated. 

This calamity begins almost 1.5 years ago, on Ramadan, 25th 2022, when his mother took him to another doctor after visiting many, with the complaint of constant fever that was not going away with any medicine taken so far. It was the day when he was diagnosed with blood cancer, that’s why she remembers the date so accurately.

After the lab reports confirmed the diagnosis, they were referred to take Shakeel to the Children’s Hospital Multan, where considering that the case is beyond their control, they referred him to Agha Khan Hospital Karachi, which was a way more difficult thing, then they managed to take him to the Children’s Hospital Lahore on 5th day of Eid, 2022. Here they had a very satisfactory treatment. 

According to the American cancer society, the 5-year overall survival rate for pediatric AML is higher than that of adults, ranging from approximately 65–70%. And as per expectations, the symptoms were gone in 6 months, and his response to chemotherapy was brilliant. God had answered their prayers, Shakeel returned to a normal life after a tough course of 6 months.  

But all of a sudden, the misfortune returned back like a bad omen. After 5 months of recovery, his symptoms started appearing again, and his platelets count got very low (47). His condition started relapsing. “THE CANCER IS BACK”. Now Shakeel is a relapse patient of AML. According to research, the prognosis for patients with relapsed disease is extremely poor. The median overall survival for patients with relapsed AML ranges from 4-6 months and long-term survival from the time of relapse ranges from 5%-20%. Now it needs more potent chemotherapy treatment to reach complete remission, things will not be as easy as they were previously.

After the symptoms reappeared, he got various sessions of blood serum platelet infusion from Multan Children’s Hospital, but that was of no use. And then they end up here, again, at the Children’s Hospital, Lahore. On the same beds they once said goodbye forever with pleasure and gratitude … the rooms they once left with a hope for a new start in life, they had to return to the same area with more gloom and melancholy. Now after relapse, his 3rd session of chemo has started. Adding to their problems is one of the policies of the hospital, where a relapse patient is not fully entertained for his expenses. Now Shakeel’s father is managing the expense of his medicines on his own. (For instance: Shakeel needs 3 injections of Brivaracetam now, each costing Rs. 9000, they just ordered one as of now as they could afford one only). While his father owns a welding shop where he works. Furthermore, after the relapse, the relatives turned their backs, separating Shakeel’s father in property and business, accusing him that they have already spent almost all of their money on the treatment of this kid. 

Now as far as the ultimate treatment is concerned, a bone marrow transplant is suggested from a matching donor (i.e., one of Shakeel’s brothers) followed by a considerable period of chemo. But here is more of an issue now, Shakeel’s father refuses to risk the life of one son for the other, and he has no hope for Shakeel’s complete recovery either. He says, “We are already in great pain with the disease of my one child, I do not dare to put another son of mine into this situation with my own hands.” While Kalsum Bibi seems to have no opinion in this sensitive decision regarding the lives of their children.

So the next step left is, they buy the bone marrow from a matching donor, which seems impossible in the light of the recent financial grind they are having.

It’s been 1.5 years now, they are stuck in this loop of misfortunes and unfavorable situations, where finding hope is not an easy thing for them…. Kalsum Bibi weeps while pointing towards another girl in the room with relapse AML, saying that here came 4 patients with relapse in this ward, 2 are dead by now, and only Shakeel and that 4-year-old girl are left, “We don’t see anything forward” …

At that point, I was speechless… I had no word to console Kalsum. I could just tell her to show some more patience, and I could just say to her that my prayers are with you. I felt helpless there and couldn’t imagine how helpless they must be feeling all the time there. Hoping that our medical facilities and health system progress are advanced enough so I do not have to interview any such hopeless mother in any government hospital ever after. 

Please join me in praying for the complete and safe recovery of Shakeel. May he fully recover and remain in good health. Let's also pray for his parents to have a happy and easy time with him. Amen.

Lots of prayers for Shakeel and her family, and for all sick children to recover quickly and never experience their illnesses again. May they lead happy and healthy lives once more. Amen.

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity

Warriors and Survivors -116

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 116

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. 

“This all started 5 months ago. Everything was going well, then suddenly she developed swelling in her neck. We thought it was nothing but mumps.” ~Fatima’s mother.

But who knew that this swelling, which sounded normal, was going to change the course of the lives of Fatima and her family. Fatima is the youngest of four sisters. They belong to Sialkot City and her father is a factory worker.

Five months ago, Fatima's mother took her to a doctor nearby complaining of her constant fever and tonsillitis. After visiting various doctors and not finding relief from the ailment, the doctors referred them to The Children's Hospital, suspecting that this case was not within their expertise and that Fatima needed special medical attention.

They arrived at the hospital, where samples for tests were taken and sent to SKCMH&RC. "The moment the lab reports came back... I have no words to explain the feelings I had that time." ~ says her mother with tearful eyes. It was blood cancer. They were admitted to the oncology unit.

She had her bone marrow transplant, followed by 3 sessions of chemo. Doctors say the treatment course will last for a total of 2.5 years. The 4th session of chemo will start after Eid. They still have a long journey ahead of them on these beds with other cancer patients.

After her 3 chemo sessions, they went back home. However, they returned to the hospital with a complaint of severe jaundice and have been admitted for the past 10 days. Her condition is much better now, and we are hopeful that she will completely recover from leukemia one day and be able to go back home and never have to come back here.

Of course, it was disturbing that the mother is with one daughter, leaving the other three daughters alone at home for days, not knowing when she will return. Grandmother took care of other daughters.

Explaining that a single case of a cancer patient can disturb the lives of the whole family, she said, "We go home, but we can hardly spend a day or two there before we have to run back to the hospital because Fatima's condition worsens again."

“Apart from all these miseries, the satisfaction from the treatment compensates for all this suffering. Because the only thing we yearn for is health.” ~ Mother

It was really a tough journey, but looking at other patients in worse conditions, we felt supported knowing that we were not alone in this misery. Seeing other patients getting discharged gives us hope that my Fatima will also get discharged with full health one day. She hopes to see Fatima going to school with her other sisters and returning to a normal life.

Please join me in praying for the complete and safe recovery of Fatima. May she fully recover and remain in good health. Let's also pray for her parents to have a happy and easy time with him. Amen.

Lots of prayers for Fatima and her family, and for all sick children to recover quickly and never experience their illnesses again. May they lead happy and healthy lives once more. Amen.

Note: Names have been changed to protect 

Warriors and Survivors - 115

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 115

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. 

 

Zain is 12 years old healthy-looking male child. He was doing well and was a confident child until he was ten. One fine morning he woke up with a fever and later he developed neck swelling. But with symptomatic treatment, he was better within a couple of days. 

A few days later, he again developed fever and this time it took a week for him to settle down. Later the fever was frequent, and his parents were worried. 

They took him to the hospital as they were done with the local physicians and Zain’s condition was alarming. He was immediately admitted after his history and diagnostic workup for him initiated. Within a couple of days, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. “Nothing worst than news for a parent that their child got cancer at the blooming age.”

Zain’s treatment started and the brave child received chemotherapy bravely, playing and smiling all the time with other children and he never let his parents realize that he was fighting a great battle. 

Zain had to discontinue his school for two years to get his treatment done. He was not allowed to go to school as his immunity most of the time was too low to expose him even to a normal environment. He had to be at home or hospital. Restrictions for a ten-year-old male child in itself were a nightmare, Zain had not only these restrictions but also a horrible disease and chemotherapy, but the brave guy faced it valiantly.

He completed his treatment with the utmost efforts of his parents, and he was doing well when one day poor family received the worst news of their lives. Zain’s disease had come back. Zain was in relapse and this time the disease was more severe. 

Zain who had started dreaming about his normal life and school and his friends has been admitted again. Who knows how long his treatment will take. 

Please join me in praying for the complete and safe recovery of Zain. May he fully recover and remain in good health. Let's also pray for his parents to have a happy and easy time with him. Amen.

Lots of prayers for Zain and his family, and for all sick children to recover quickly and never experience their illnesses again. May they lead happy and healthy lives once more. Amen.

 

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity

Warriors and Survivors - 114

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 114

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. 

“There is nothing more important than saving a child's life” Laila’s mother.

 Laila was a bright, bubbly, joyous child with no health issues or concerns but when she was eight months old, her family knew something was wrong. Laila had a fever that wouldn't go away. At first, her parents thought it was teething issues, so they took her to the hospital for further tests but never made it home after that.

It was initially thought that Laila was suffering from constipation, but then blood tests revealed that Laila's iron levels were terribly low. 

Many doctors and tests later, Laila's fever was still refusing to dissipate. The family was sent to Children's Hospital, Lahore where they found a tumor in her abdomen and extensive cancer in her bones and bone marrow.

“Being told your child has cancer is every parent's worst nightmare, you can't ever be fully prepared to hear those words”. Laila’s mother said.

The tumor in Laila's abdomen was the size of a grapefruit. She was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma and started immediately on chemotherapy but did not respond to her first six rounds.

Neuroblastoma is one of the most aggressive forms of childhood cancer with a survival rate of about 50%, making it most difficult to treat. Neuroblastoma is a cancer of the nervous tissue, which forms solid tumors.

Laila's lack of response meant her case was upgraded to high-risk. Today, aged just eight, she has undergone a dozen rounds of chemo, several surgeries, radiation and an immunotherapy trial.

I think sometimes, for cancer like these we desperately need more effective, less toxic treatments to improve the survival rates of neuroblastoma and give kids like Laila a brighter future. 

Laila's case continues to be a challenge and she is still not cancer-free. Her family is now playing an anxious waiting game; hoping for some miracle and breakthroughs in scientific research that may lead to some new drug discovery for neuroblastoma. 

Please join me in praying for the complete and safe recovery of Laila. May she fully recover and remain in good health. Let's also pray for her parents to have a happy and easy time with her. Amen.

Lots of prayers for Laila and her family, and for all sick children to recover quickly and never experience their illnesses again. May they lead happy and healthy lives once more. Amen.

Note: Names have been changed to 

Warriors and Survivors -113

 Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 113

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. 

Aira was only two and a half years when she started having off-and-on fever. In just a few days she also developed abdominal swelling with abdominal pain. Five days later she had bleeding from her mouth, It was like an emergency situation for the family and they rushed to the emergency of their community hospital. 

On admission, she had a fever, cough, and low platelets. She was symptomatically treated in the emergency and referred to the oncology department for further workup. In the next two days, she was diagnosed with pre-B ALL (Acute lymphocytic Leukemia). 

Her parents were counseled and with a heavy heart, they agreed to start treatment for their small pretty sparrow.  “When we were given the news... it was like a knife wound to my gut, it was horrible,” said her mother. 

Without having any other options, they had to go for chemotherapy for that little spirit who just had landed in this world two years ago. 

Aira had chemotherapy, designed to treat her cancer and give her a bit more time. The disease was controlled, and Aira was well for a while. Her parents made the most of this precious extra time, often taking Aira to her favorite park where she would slide down a slide over and over again, screaming with delight. And yet, her mother says she believes Aira knew she was not well, that something bad is happening to her.

Her treatment continued for a few months, and she was doing well, later she developed meningoencephalitis and had to remain admitted in the hospital for several weeks. It was a horrible time for both parents, they used to believe they may not lose their child. Aira was most of the time sleepy or semi-unconscious due to medicines and the disease. 

Aira fought the disease valiantly for 18 months. She is now three and a half. She still has to undergo treatment and seeing her condition there is no certainty that she will survive the treatment and disease both. 

Please join me in praying for the complete and safe recovery of Aira. May she fully recover and remain in good health. Let's also pray for her parents to have a happy and easy time with her. Amen.

Lots of prayers for Aira and her family, and for all sick children to recover quickly and never experience their illnesses again. May they lead happy and healthy lives once more. Amen.

Note: Names have been changed to protect identity

Warriors and Survivors - 112

Children Cancer Stories by Rukh Yusuf - Blog # 112

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. 

Hamad was not even two years old when the family had a shock with diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Meaning he would end up spending the next year, a third of his short lifetime, in hospital undergoing grueling treatment. It all happened so sudden and fast that his mother was shocked. She said, I was thinking "they’re all wrong. There’s no way that it’s cancer, there must be a mistake in tests."

At not yet two years of age, happy and easygoing Hamad loved fun family times: playing in the park, playing with siblings, and laughing heartily. Both parents were like any other parents, enjoying life with their third-born child. But within weeks Hamad’s life as a care-free child changed altogether, not only Hamad’s but the whole family.

Hamad had developed an ongoing chest infection, and just didn’t seem to be getting better. “He was pale and lethargic, and his parents couldn’t do anything to get him better. The family doctor did a blood test and, within hours, suggested they should visit hospital and the family head straight to the local hospital Emergency. In a couple of days Hamad was admitted at oncology unit of Children’s Hospital, Lahore.

Hamad’s blood results showed increasing levels of blast cells, a key indicator of leukemia. He underwent a bone marrow aspirate and lumber puncture for doctors to confirm the diagnosis as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. When the formal diagnosis came, the news hit very hard.

“I pretty much just cried the whole couple of weeks after they told us that it is confirmed blood cancer. It was like a mental crash”, said his mother.

The day after diagnosis, Hamad had a port inserted in her chest for chemotherapy to be administered, but after the first round, the port became badly infected, and he had to be put in isolation. This precious young boy had a wound in his chest so large he had to go under general anesthetic every time the dressing was changed.

The treatments often triggered high fever, while Hamad’s reaction to steroids led to terrible screaming until he fell asleep. Hamad lost weight, which meant that he couldn’t walk for a time. As a 2-year-old, such difficult side effects were very hard to understand.

Hamad is now three and his intensive chemo treatment has stopped, meaning fewer hospital trips. Now Hamad has to attend Outpatient once a week, Both parents are so grateful to welcome a return to their normal family lives. 

Let’s pray for complete and safe recovery of Hamad, may he recover completely and stay healthy. Aameen. May his parents have happy and easy time with him. Aameen

Lots of prayers for Hamad 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