Cancer Care for Children in Bangladesh

Over 6,000 children in Bangladesh are expected to develop cancer per year, however only a quarter of those receive an accurate diagnosis. This can be attributed to low levels of & late diagnosis – a result of low levels of public awareness- inadequate access to healthcare and a lack of diagnostic equipment. 

At World Child Cancer we want to live in a world where all children, regardless of situation, have equal and proper access to quality cancer care; with your continued support we can move one step closer to making that a reality. 

One of the children World Child Cancer have helped is Mahin.  

Five-year-old Mahin lives with his mother, father, three-month old sister and family in Shirajgonj, a city in north-western Bangladesh. He was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) in 2022. 

In April, 2022 Mahin’s symptoms of ALL appeared with high fever and some lumps in his whole body. Initially he was treated with antibiotics, but as his CBC report was not good, doctor from Shirajgonj referred him to Dhaka. In May, 2022 Mahin’s bone marrow report confirmed his diagnosis of ALL which was the most shocking news for his family. Mahin is the only son of their family, he has a little sister of 3 months old. They live in a joint family with father, mother, grandparents and paternal aunties. Mahin is very adorable to all, he is the heart of his family! Mahin expressed with tears in his eyes- 

“When I was leaving my house, my grandmother and aunties were crying holding me. When I talk with them over phone, they also cry. I also miss them so much!” 

Mahin is very intelligent boy. He is now receiving treatment at Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute (BSHI) for about 4 months and gradually improving. Mahin loves to study, his handwriting is excellent. In the hospital, he likes to gossip about his school, his teachers, his friends. He often opens his school books and recall the nice moments he passed in the school. Even he sometimes asked the doctors in the Department of PaediatricHaematology and Oncology (DPHO), about his quick release so that he could go back to his school. Mahin loves to play a game of submarine war in his mother’s mobile phone and wishes to be a submarine engineer when grows up. He shared that he likes the yellow color of the face mask that has been provided by WCC. Mahin’s only wish- 

“I want to go back to my school! I want to stand 1st in my exam!” 

 With your support we can continue to support children like Mahin to recover and achieve their dreams. 

Links:

• Mahin's Story
• World Child Cancer in Bangladesh