Help bring Palliative Care to Indonesia's children

Step into the heartwarming tale of Hadi - a brave 6-year-old caught in the delicate balance between laughter and cough, navigating life with HIV and tuberculosis. His infectious laughter echoes the triumph of resilience.

Today, you have the power to tilt the scales in favor of joy. Support Rachel House's work by becoming a donor, and let's transform this tug of war into a dance of joy. Your contribution isn't just a donation; it's a melody that can drown out the coughs and amplify the laughter for sweet Hadi.

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Little Hadi’s loving family

Do you recall those old moments when you carried a disappointing report card in your school backpack, dreading the moment you would have to face your parents by the time you got home? That old feeling somehow lingers in our memory – a luxury that Hadi, a 6-year-old boy, will never know in life. At just 1-week old, while the rest of us were nestled in the comforting embrace of our mothers, his mother left him and disappeared into thin air. She could not bear the guilt of passing HIV to her innocent little boy; the medication to prevent the transmission failed her despite having to endure the challenging nauseating feeling from the side effects. His dad? He is out of the picture. Fortunately (if that is even the right term for this situation), his grandmother took him in; and she is the one raising him now.

Despite the immense love and compassion that Hadi's grandmother has for him, it is not enough to provide him with a comfortable life while he battles HIV. The income from the fritters she sells on the street barely reaches 20,000 to 30,000 Rupiah (US$ 2) each day for their small family. Hadi's typical meal consists of rice, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and water; as his grandmother believes that MSG enhances the flavor of the meal. Heartbreaking, isn’t it? At Hadi's age and with his diagnosis, he needs to have  nutrient-rich foods that nourishes his body to support the pivotal early development that those parental books always mention, and importantly, to keep infections at bay.

The meager income that Hadi's grandmother makes barely covers their basic necessities, let alone their rent. Consequently, she frequently resorts to borrowing money from loan sharks and often faces delays in rent payments, ultimately leading to eviction after three months of unpaid rent. They now have to live with one of Hadi’s aunts in a wooden-house by the river, without basic amenities such as a toilet. Do not picture a cozy lodge house, this is something made out of plywood and vulnerable to flooding when the rain comes.

Other parental figures that Hadi has in his life are his aunties: Aunty Nana and Aunty Maya, who are also struglling with poverty. They both share the responsibilities of ensuring Hadi's medication and nutritional needs are met, as well as taking him for doctor's appointments.

The boy who laughs

The first time Nurse Ayu from Rachel House met Hadi was over a year ago when he was 5 years old. At that time, he merely weighed 5 kilograms. It was discovered that he was not only battling HIV but also tuberculosis (TB). The HIV diagnosis has significantly prolonged his recovery process for TB; and to this day, he continues to suffer from a persistent cough. After more than a year of enduring HIV and tuberculosis, with the support of Rachel House, Hadi now weighs 14.5 kilograms. While he still has a long journey ahead, this marks a significant and positive improvement.

Much like any other young boy, Hadi enjoys playing hide and seek with his friends in the neighborhood, infusing every moment with big roaring laughter when they are together. His daily routine of going to the early development school (PAUD) serves as a distraction from the what-feels-to-be everlasting cough and the absence of his parents in his life – both of which he cannot understand why. Grandma and his aunties do not have the heart to tell Hadi what he is battling with, as they are determined not to burden him at this tender age. They want to see him play with the toy-car without the haunting question of "will I see another day?" lingering in his mind.

When you talk to him, you can easily notice his dazzling eyes are filled with a big curiosity of what the world can offer. His genuine protective character towards his grandmother naturally leads him to an aspiration of becoming a policeman when he grows up. “I will protect grandma from bad people!” You can hear him shouting that with a determination in his voice. This dream often makes him gaze at the traffic-controlling policemen with deep admiration. Perhaps to him, the absence of his parents deepens the longing for the sense of protection that the policemen represent, that he aspires to provide to us – common citizens. Not only that! He is also excited to one day be able to drive a police car, a dream perhaps shared by every 6-year-old boy.

Oh Hadi, we sincerely hope that your spirit and curiosity will keep you going, regardless of what life throws at you.