Zain Has Never Been To School Because A Deadly Disease Is Killing Him

Zain dreads coming to the hospital - he knows he will soon have to sit through painful tests and injections. He is restless and scared. Three, sometimes, four nurses are required to hold little Zain to the chair every time they push those sharp needles into his body. The corridor rings with his screams and cries and Nagma fails to hold back her tears. Nothing she says consoles her 5-year-old son.  Little Zain is fighting rare condition, for the second time, and now only a bone marrow transplant can save his life. 

“I thought we had put all this behind - I thought that dangerous disease had left his body and he was fully cured…My heart breaks when I see him suffer like this, I wish I could do something to take away his pain,” - Nagma, mother.  

The little boy has never been to school - the disease confined him to the four walls of his room 

Zain was only 2.5 years old when the doctors in Kolkata found out that he was suffering from a life-threatening condition. He had fractured his heel and was unable to walk for some days. But that was not all. 

“He had a high fever that was not getting better with medicines. We consulted so many doctors and finally, we got to hear what no parent should ever hear in their lifetime. We had no idea that even little children can have such diseases.”

Zain has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia - a rapidly spreading blood rare condition that needs immediate treatment. While he got better after over two years of rigorous treatment and chemotherapy, just six months ago, his blood tests showed that the disease was back. And this time, he needs a bone marrow transplant to survive. 

“He has never gone to a school, he has never lived the life of a normal child. He knows only hospitals, doctors, medicines, and painful tests. Every day, we take him to the hospital for his treatment and the entire day goes in that. Back home, he is too tired to do anything else. But these days, he loves drawing and painting. Seeing him smile is the best thing.” 

Despite challenges and hardships, Nagma is determined to cure his son. She never misses his appointments and feeds him nutritious food. She has even started homeschooling him - she has big dreams for her son. 

My husband lost his job and now we don’t know how we can afford Zain’s treatment 

Azhar used to work at a small construction firm in Kolkata but for the last 6 months, they have been in Delhi, doing everything they can to save their only son. He lost his job and has been trying very hard to get a new one in Delhi but there is hardly any time for that.

“Nagma and I take turns to stand in queues in the hospital. There is so much to do - getting medicines, filling forms, looking after Zain - I can’t leave her alone now,” - Azhar Rehman, father.