It is the urge for overcoming problems and achieve welfare of human beings that man has been able to glorify his civilization. But it is also a fact that a large section of people is deprived of many things in spite of our great achievements. They are deprived of food, shelter, education and health care services. Many are dying without medicines and particularly thousands of children are dying without the minimum of medical care. The march of civilisation seems to be meaningless when millions of children are left to suffer or die for lack of medical care. 

Leukaemia or blood cancer is one of the deadly diseases claiming many lives of children all over the world. The developed countries have been carrying on research on leukaemia. According to latest available information, seventy percent of leukaemia patients can recover. But in this poverty-stricken country of ours recovery rate of this deadly disease is almost nil. Limited treatment facilities, scarcity of medicines and their high cost and long term treatment hamper continuous treatment of leukaemia patients, and as a result, children with leukaemia have to die. Many parents in Bangladesh are helpless witnesses to the early death of their children suffering from leukaemia. Poor families of leukaemia patients become poorer when they are to bear the high expenses of the treatment. Some examples of poor families are cited here: 

Abdus Samad, a farmer of Moheshkhali under Cox's Bazar district had two children - one son and one daughter. Samad's son, the nine year old Zahed, was a restless child. But suddenly he showed the signs of depression. He had fever. There was no remission in fever even after one week's treatment at the village. He was then removed to Cox's Bazar district hospital and was treated there for a month, but without any fruitful result. He was then brought to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where the leukaemia was detected after examining his blood.  

Meanwhile, Zahed's parents were almost perplexed when they came to know that their son would have to undergo long time treatment. The parents then sold away some portion of their land in order to bear the treatment expenses of their dear son. Abdus Samad and his wife were staying in a hotel while the treatment of their son was going on. But Samad started feeling the pinch of high cost of treatment of Zahed. They left the hotel and rented a room at a slum near the hospital. They stayed there for two months. By then they had no money to buy medicines for Zahed. They took shelter on the hospital floor. At this time the doctor asked Samad to buy an injection costing Taka 110. Helpless Samad looked at the doctor saying I have only Take 20 in my hand. Now I am to sell my homestead to continue the treatment of my child. Samad sold his land, gold and silver ornaments of his wife. But Zahed died within a few weeks. Samad was then a pauper.  

Rabi Das, Tailor by profession of Kanungopara under Boalkhali thana had to meet with the same unfortunate situation. He had to bear the burden of a nine-member family including two children: Aporna 8 and Samir 5. Aporna suddenly fell ill last year. The fever did not stop for several weeks. She was admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, where leukaemia was diagnosed. She needed long time treatment as advised by the doctors. Robi was expecting a boom in his income from his tailoring shop because of Eid-ul-Fitar festival of Muslims and he decided to free his plot of land from mortgage. But misfortune befell him. Aporna's illness broke his dream into pieces. He thought it better to take Aporna back home from the hospital as it was nearly impossible for him to give long time and costly treatment to her. He strongly believed that Aporna would be cured of the deadly disease. But doctors and workers of Children Leukaemia Assistance & Support Services (CLASS) convinced Robi Das to keep Aporna in the hospital. Aporna had been in CMCH for a fortnight, but ultimately her father took her away from hospital, she died soon afterward.  

The doctors were sure that Aporna could have been at the Leukaemia unit of CMCH when she would have been given long time treatment. But the unfortunate parents of Aporna could not afford the cost of the long time treatment of Aporna.  

The third incident of the same nature shall be narrated here. Mr. Mohammad Ali, branch Manager of Krishi (Agriculture) Bank was happy with his wife and only son Onik (7). Onik was affected by leukaemia in mid 1997. After preliminary treatment in Chittagong, Onik was taken to Tata Cancer Hospital in Bombay (India). Mr. Mohammad Ali at one stage gave up his job to be able to attend upon his ailing son. All his savings plus the money he got by selling some land property were spent for treatment of Onik for nine months. By this time Onik lost one of his eyes as an effect of the radiation. Mr. Mohammad Ali and his wife were fortunate to some extent: Onik has survived the deadly cancer, but he is to be taken to Bombay every three months for check-ups. Once a bank officer, Mohammad Ali is now living a poor life. He is to go through suffering and humiliation in silence. 

We consider it is our moral responsibility to come to the aid of leukaemia children. And so CLASS in cooperation with Chittagong Medical College Hospital, a government hospital in Bangladesh, has set up a Leukaemia unit at the CMCH. This unit has been extending treatment facilities, doctors' counselling, financial help etc. to leukaemia patients and their parents besides creating awareness among people about leukaemia, collecting information and conducting researches on the deadly disease.

Efforts are being made to give relief to leukaemia affected children by providing treatment facilities. Leukaemia affected ten-year-old Alim drew a picture twelve hours before his death at the Leukaemia unit. Volunteers of Children Leukaemia Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) remain busy in making the leukaemia patients smile during their treatment.

Eight-year-old Selina had just been awaiting her death with a gloomy face at the hospital. CLASS Volunteers made her smile again by giving her toys and their company. The volunteers wanted that Selina would be able to smile, even though she was about to die.

Delwar, another leukaemia affected kid had been passing his days in the leukaemia unit with a gloomy mood. He had no interest in Television, nor to play with the toys beside him. But after a few months treatment at the leukaemia unit, some changes were found in him. His face was radiant and he looked a bit happier. He wanted volunteers beside him. Delwar was made happier by the volunteers who gave him some presents on the occasion of a national festival. But he showed no signs of recovery from leukaemia and that was what made the doctors and volunteers unhappy. Some leukaemia patients at the leukaemia unit now prefer to stay at the hospital instead of living at their residence. It is because they find much pleasure at the Play Corner equipped with many toys. They even prefer to get their injection in the Play Corner where it hurts less as they are distracted.

There is no reason for frustration. Fortunate ones among the leukaemia patients, if given the right treatment in time can recover and have a new chance to live. Parents of leukaemia patients must not neglect their ailing sons or daughters. They must rush their children to the hospital for treatment. Let us contribute our bit to save the leukaemia affected children. They have the right to live and share the joy and happiness of this world.