Mosabbir Cancer Care Centre |

Cancer-afflicted patients coming from every nook and corner of Bangladesh are received by the centre almost everyday. 'Proshanti' has become a familiar name with cancer patients in search of a temporary home during their treatment period in Dhaka. The centre provides us with an opportunity to get close to the patients and their guardians. Through the present newsletter, we now run a story of a small girl called Sumaiya who is only 4 years old. She does not talk much any more. She has been staying with us for quite some time. Looking at her you'd never think the killer disease cancer has taken over her frail little body. Her eyes are bright with the fierce desire to live and realize her dreams of the future.

We spoke to Sumaiya's parents. They hail from Beani Bazar of Sylhet District. It wasn't too long ago when they noticed just last summer that Sumaiya's body temperature always remained higher than normal. Her body weight has been going down drastically. She became pale and hardly had any appetite. Apart from these, she suffered severe pain in various parts of her body. After repeated consultations with the local physician met with no success, her parents went to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka. There, under the guidance of Dr. Afiqul Islam a number of tests were undertaken and it was revealed that Sumaiya had Leukemia.

Then began her battle for survival. In the eyes of the developed world, child cancer if detected in the early stages can be completely curable. But alas for Sumaiya, her schoolteacher father found it practically impossible to sustain the costly treatment with his meager salary. By this time two hundred thousand taka (approx. $ 3500) has already been spent. Treatment facilities in a third world like Bangladesh are limited. Even then Sumaiya's treatment continues. Her parents are literally down to their last penny. How long they can keep on with the treatment is doubtful. Sumaiya’s life could be saved if only she could receive a bone marrow transplant. Her parents are in no way capable of providing the cost.

At present Sumaiya is in 'D' block, Children Cancer Unit of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University under the care of Dr. Afiqul Islam. According to Dr. Islam, with the right treatment, little Sumaiya would be able to smile again and make her dreams come true. Is there anyone out there who would come forward and stand by Sumaiya's side, help her to smile and live? Our small but combined supports may give a new life to Sumaiya and also help her parents smile.

Fuad, Shah Alam, Beauty, Amir, Najmul, Sayeed, Roopa, Shapla, Masum and so many more are with us at Proshanti. Slowly bit-by-bit probably we will be able to tell you about all of them. But at the centre of each story is the tale of the endless struggle of these people against the dreadful disease, cancer. Come, let us all stand by their side, banish their darkness, and bring in a bright and shining future too all of them.