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“Unable to afford a room nearby, we sleep in the park, or outside the hospital. We have two blankets, and we are three of us. In the night, it gets so cold, it’s torturous to even lie down; let alone sleep. We haven’t bathed ever since we left our village. We go in search of bores, and wash ourselves the best we can. We survive on one meal a day, or none. I didn’t know it would be like this when we left home 20 days ago, for a small check-up for my son. We didn’t know he’d be diagnosed with this deadly cancer. I don’t mind this suffering, I tell God…but please don’t take my only child from me, just because I am a poor man!” – Anwar Basha, father.
One day, Minihaz fell down the stairs and broke his elbow…irrevocably
Seeing his father struggling for work amidst the pandemic, 18-year-old Minihaz decided to take up a job. With his college shut, he took his cycle every morning, and went for work. But one day, his life changed.“He was climbing the stairs with a pail of water. I don’t know how, but he slipped and fell down; and his elbow broke. It’d fractured irrevocably, and a rod was inserted, to keep his hand in place. Everything seemed alright for the next 50 days. But then…” – Maseema Banu, mother, struggles to speak.
Days passed, and his elbow began swelling…no medicines worked
“Just where the rod had been placed, the skin started swelling up…like a lump. The doctor near our house gave us medicines. But the lump only got bigger. When we went to him again, the doctor said it might be tumor. He asked us to go to Bangalore for a check-up. We didn’t know what a tumor was. But we went!” – Anwar Basha.
Diagnosed with a deadly disease of the bones, he needs urgent treatment
Scans, and tests were run, and the family’s worst nightmare came true. Minihaz was fighting Ewing’s Sarcoma – A cancer of the bones. Without immediate treatment, the disease can prove fatal to him. He needs chemotherapy, followed by radiotherapy and surgery. The cost will amount to 14 lakh rupees.
“We thought we’d go back home in two days. We carried a pair of clothes each, and came to this city where we know no one! When they told us our only child was fighting such a big disease, we were devastated. We got him admitted. His first cycle is done. But with the state we are in, I don’t think we can ever afford the rest of the treatment!” – Maseema.
Once a security guard, and now jobless, Anwar struggles to afford 14 lakhs
“A security guard, I kept losing my job many a times, during the pandemic. When I had work, I earned Rs. 6,500 a month. Right now, it’s been 20 days since we left the village. I have not a rupee left, and no job in hand. Everything I had, I spent in the tests that declared my son had cancer! While every meal is a struggle, it’s impossible to even dream of affording 14 lakhs! Please help me…he’s our only child!” – Anwar.
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