Nehal’s Second Innings: A Young Fighter’s Triumph Over Cancer

Nehal Ahmed was a regular 10-year old, and like other regular kids his age, he possessed a free spirit that could not be contained within the four walls of his house. He was always on the run and would consider playing cricket and football with his friends by the gully (save for lunch and dinner with the family) a perfect day. 

One day, after school, he spent the entirety of the afternoon working on all his homework and assignments. He worked feverishly as he munched on his lunch, and his mother tried to have him take a break and nap for a few hours. But Nehal was too worked up, and once he completed his final assignment, he pecked his mother on the cheek and sped out of the house to play with his friends. They were due for a big cricket match, one they had been planning for weeks, and he had no intention of missing out on anything.

Nehal was born and raised in North Karachi. He had no siblings, and his father, who worked at a Garment factory, considered his son his pride and joy. The family enjoyed a strong bond and made it a point always to have dinner together. The television would be turned off, and they would enjoy each others’ company with the meal.

That fateful day, when he went out for his big cricket match, Nehal suffered a fall and landed hard on his arm. His arm was sore, but he continued and ignored the pain. When he got home, he tried to hide his hurt arm from his mother and tried to take a nap, hoping that the pain would be gone when he woke up. He didn’t want to worry her and was scared that he might get in trouble if he showed his hurt arm.

But sleep never came, as the pain from his arm kept worsening. A bruise was swelling upon his forearm, and he finally told his mother what had happened. She immediately took him to a clinic, where the doctor diagnosed him with a fracture and put a cast on his arm and a sling around his neck.

Nehal’s mother didn’t scold him. Instead, she explained to him that trust and honesty were integral parts of a relationship, and his arm cast and sling were the consequences of keeping secrets. Had he been there earlier, perhaps his arm hadn’t had worsened to the state he was in.

They made up and went home, where he stayed in bed to recover. He was supposed to be fine in a few weeks, but things took a tragic turn.

During the healing period, Nehal developed a fever and was delirious. His father immediately took him to a private hospital, and after a few tests, Nehal was diagnosed with blood cancer. Luckily, the disease was diagnosed at a very initial level. The family was stunned at the revelation.

The doctors referred them to the Indus Hospital, Korangi Campus, as it had the best pediatric oncology services. Once they arrived at the hospital, Nehal was admitted on a priority basis, and his treatment started immediately. During his month-long stay, he was provided with the best care possible. In addition, he and his family were counseled thoroughly to overcome psychological issues associated with the treatment.

After the initial treatment, Nehal was sent back home with a stock of medicine and food supplements. It was a challenging journey, but after a few terse months, he defeated cancer.

Throughout the ordeal, Nehal was listless and had lost his appetite. He no longer found joy in the things around him, and the disease seemed to have eaten away at his soul. His bravery at facing the illness had impressed the staff, but his determination to keep a strong face was too much of an emotional burden. The psychosocial team was with him throughout his battle, and with their help, he managed to finally lower the walls he had placed around himself.

Nehal has since resumed his education and can play again. But what he is most thankful for isn’t the cricket sessions with his friends. It’s that he can finally have a family dinner again with his parents in peace.