On that fateful day of the 5th of September 2020, our worlds shattered upon hearing, the doctor say “I am sorry Mrs. Sharma, your baby has not more than an hour against his deadly form of cancer.”. Oblivious to the fact, his big brother, our 8-year-old Ayaansh was excitedly preparing for his baby brother’s 1st birthday back at home in Rohtak. Tears stream down my eyes as I even recall Rudransh’s condition back then - the red skin and rashes all over his body, the high-grade fever, his swollen eyes and his non-stop crying.
By God’s grace, we have come a long way since then. But it has been something of a nightmare. Just as Rudransh was diagnosed with refractory acute myeloid leukemia (blood cancer), 5 days before his first birthday on the 10th of September 2020, the doctors began his immediate rigorous FLAG chemotherapy. In between wails and screams, my 1-year-old baby boy fought cancer all by himself. For 7 continuous days, he endured the pain to fight off cancer.
With a heavy heart, my husband called for his first birthday cake at the hospital. It was our small attempt to create a happy moment in those dark times. Not knowing that cancer endangered his life, my baby smiled and giggled at the sight of his colourful birthday cake. On his behalf, we only had one wish to make - our child must be free of cancer and out of danger.
But over time, fate didn’t grant our wish. The doctors said that the cancer cells in his body still prevailed. 3 other sessions of induction chemotherapy had to be done, another attempt to block cancer from increasing and spreading any further. My husband and I braced ourselves to watch him bawl in pain again. The bandage and the IV line covered his tiny hand as my baby boy attempted to fight cancer once again. But what the doctors said next was not something we had expected.
The cancer cells in his bloodstream were still present in plenty. Chemotherapy had not worked. We were then informed by the doctors that our son needed a bone marrow transplant worth 4000 to 5000 usd. They further explained that Ayaansh could give his bone marrow to save his baby brother. We are hopeful. But honestly, there is no way we can possibly afford such a huge amount. Without the transplant, our son will succumb to cancer only at age 1.
Our children mean everything to us. But cancer has torn our family apart. My husband is a school teacher with a humble income that was nearly enough to sustain our family. Over the months, as the schools are providing online classes, my husband, like many of his colleagues, haven’t been paid his salary. We barely manage to sustain our livelihood with no income today.
Not a single day goes by that Rudransh doesn’t cry. I hold him in my arms, trying to kiss his pain away. but only if that was enough! Cancer continues to prey on my child as life slips away from him.Your generosity can help my baby boy become cancer-free someday. Please come to his rescue.
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