Please save my son, appeals ailing cancer patient’s father

Nine-year-old Abdullah’s family has been running from pillar to post to arrange money for his treatment

FAISALABAD: Struggling between life and death, nine-year-old Abdullah Noor, who is suffering from blood cancer for almost five years, has been waiting for a miracle to happen which could save his life.

He is infected with ‘Hodgkins Lymphoma’ a cancer of lymphatic system where cells grow abnormally and spread throughout the human body. The ill-fated kid visits Allied Hospital twice a month with his father for the treatment for which he has to pay Rs30,000 per visit on account of expenses of various diagnostic and laboratory tests.



Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif also announced free treatment of the child but despite tall claims, Abdullah’s parents are running from pillar to post to bear the expenses and provide treatment to their son in limited resources.

Abdullah’s father Noor Muhammad, 49, a resident of Ejaz Town, Jarranwala, is a fruit seller and a heart patient. He hardly earns enough to fulfill two times meal for his 12-member family. He has five daughters and five sons and of them, only two are working at a motorcycle workshop as mechanics on daily wages.

In view of the current situation, Noor Muhammad’s hopes of keeping his son alive are diminishing with each passing day.

While speaking to The Express Tribune, he said. “I cannot see my son die just because I do not have enough money for his treatment. I took loans from banks and people but still I could not arrange a hefty amount that is needed for his treatment.”



“My whole family is under tremendous pressure and facing a financial crisis. On one hand we are making efforts to save Abdullah’s life while on the other those who lend us loans are demanding their money back,” he said.

“I do not know how to carry on with my life as I have no other means to pay back the loan amount which I have taken in advance for my son’s treatment,” he lamented.

“I can only pray to God and appeal to the people and government to extend support and save my son’s life,” he said with tears in his eyes.

Noor Muhammad told The Express Tribune that the provincial chief minister directed the health department to provide free treatment to Abdullah at the Children’s Hospital, Lahore.  The Punjab government also constituted a special medical board comprising of three doctors, including Dr Mehwish, Dr Aliya and Dr Sadia which recommended the child’s treatment at government expenses in the hospital.

“However, the hospital administration did not comply with the orders and failed to provide free treatment to my son,” Noor complained.



“My son was admitted to Children’s Hospital, Lahore, where doctors recommended some tests costing Rs40,000. When I asked the doctors about free medical treatment, they said I have to pay the bill as the application is under process,” he mentioned.

The child’s father pointed out, “When I again went to the hospital for Abdullah’s treatment, the doctors recommended tests costing Rs80,000. As I do not have enough money, I brought my son back to Faisalabad,” Noor Muhammad said while crying.

“However, a few days later, Abdullah’s condition worsened so we rushed him to Allied Hospital where he is being treated twice a month,” he said.

When contacted, Allied Hospital’s Cancer Ward Incharge Dr Khalid told The Express Tribune that Abdullah’s treatment case is being handled by Punjab government. “The family has to bear the expenses till we receive payments from the government,” he said.



He added, “We do not have the facility to conduct all tests in the hospital. The same has to be conducted from private laboratories at the expense of the patient.”

Similarly, Medical Superintendent Dr Rashid Maqbool said, “We are trying to bear treatment expenses from the hospital fund but we cannot make payments of lab tests.”

A doctor at Children’s Hospital, Lahore Dr Mehwish said they have not received funds from the provincial government.  “If the government had released funds for the child’s treatment, we would not have asked the family to pay money from their own pocket.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2017.