“He stopped going to school because his friends don’t go near him. Everyone treats him like an untouchable. Can you imagine the impact this has on a 10-year-old?”
Muhammed Thanseeh. Everyone knows him in the village of Othukkungal, Malappuram, Kerala. He is a 10-year-old child ostracized by everyone he approaches because of the horrific wounds on his body caused by a genetic disorder that has a very expensive cure.
Thanseeh was just 3 months old when he began to exhibit sores on his body. As a baby, he would scratch himself constantly until he bled. His father, Mustafa Thottarathodi Poduvannikkavil, rushed him to every doctor in the town until he was shattered by this diagnosis he could not quite understand.
“Wiskott-Alrich Syndrome, they said. The doctor took quite some time to explain it to us. Thanseeh’s immune system is very weak. He has eczema and the wounds themselves itch and hurt so bad that he continues to itch over them causing them to bleed more. They hardly ever heal. It is harrowing to see our child dig his nails into his body trying to stop pain and cause more. We used to bind his hands to stop him from doing it, but the feeling becomes unbearable for him and he begins to scream.”
It is difficult to imagine what Thanseeh is going through. As his immune system is very weak, stepping out of the house aggravates his condition. Any dust or change in weather gives him an infection. Sometimes he begins to bleed through his nose or even vomit blood. He gets so drained out that he is bedridden for days together and does not even wake up.
“He used to go to school. But, the way others treated him, the physical environment, everything took such a great toll on him that his condition got worse. We decided to keep him at home.”
The wounds on his face, hands, and legs are so deep and excruciating that his parents and relatives have tears rolling down their faces every time they look at him. No treatment has helped Thanseeh time now. The only solution is a bone marrow transplant for Rs. 30 Lakhs. Mustafa works at Madrasa for a salary of Rs. 5000. He has not been able to save enough, especially with rising medical bills.
“Our community has come forward to help us in this situation. People cannot stand to see Thanseeh suffer like this and just wither away. They have formed a committee to crowdfund for us, and raise enough for this surgery.”
So far, this family was living a morbid life thinking that Thanseeh’s disease was incurable. He would hide in fear of the way people react to his appearance, and they worried he would disappear into nothingness. Now, with this treatment, there is a ray of hope and this family needs your help to grab it and give this little boy a chance to come out of the darkness.
“Our boy is both physically and emotionally scarred. This will give us a chance to heal him.”
Supporting Documents
The specifics of this case have been verified by the medical team at the concerned hospital. For any clarification on the treatment or associated costs, contact the campaign organizer or the medical team.
