“A year back, my sister came back from her in-laws' and begun staying with us again. We were all in distress. I was Taking private tuitions for students to ease a little of my family's burden. 6 months ago, we found out that I have cancer. My family was devastated. Now, I feel that I am a burden for my parents since I don't earn anymore. I wanted to complete my education and get a job. With my cancer almost killing me, I don’t know if that will ever be possible,” Tapas.
27-year-old Tapas had even lost his voice to cancer. After prolonged treatment, he has begun speaking again. He has sarcoma of the mediastinum, a type of cancer which forms in the cavity between lungs and the rest of the chest. This cavity comprises of heart, food pipe, windpipe, aorta, and thymus. When he got hit by cancer, he could neither eat nor speak. The immense pain in his throat had left him exhausted.
Tapas’ father works on farms during the harvest season. For the rest of the year, he has to desperately look for some work as a laborer. Tapas was struggling to fund his own education by taking tuitions for students. He couldn’t appear for his final exams because of his cancer. He is at home now and is dependent on his family to take care of him. He has begun his chemotherapy and radiation. The treatment has helped him gain back his voice again. If he stops his treatment, cancer can spread rapidly and kill him any moment.