This Ramadan, while families will pray together, gather around Iftar tables, and children will eagerly await festive meals, Abdul’s family will be spending the holy month in a hospital fighting a battle against cancer.

“This year during Ramadan, our entire family is scattered. Living in fear, surviving each day at the hospital for the past two months. We worry about every meal and every medicine. Celebrating feels very far from reality when all we do is pray to keep our son alive.” - Karima, mother

Pain, confusion, and months without answers

6-year-old Abdul was once an active, cheerful child who never let even the deformity in his left leg stop him from playing. In June last year, he began falling sick with recurring fevers and a small bump on his skin. Each time, treatments only worked temporarily. 

“We thought it was just a seasonal flu that would go away, but for 6 months, we kept visiting hospitals and clinics looking for an answer. Ultrasounds and X-rays showed nothing wrong, but the pain in his legs and hands kept getting worse. It became so unbearable for our little boy that even the slightest touch made him cry. He couldn’t lift his hands at all, and he lived in fear of something we could not understand.” - Kadir Ali, father

Hunger, Prayer And Fight Against Cancer

Abdul was diagnosed with blood cancer, and ever since chemotherapy began, Abdul has shown improvement. His fever and pains are under control. But survival has come at a heartbreaking cost. His parents often skip meals, sometimes for days, to save money for medicines. With no place to stay, Kadir now works as a security guard in the same hospital where his son is being treated. The job brings a little food, but nowhere near enough to cover the cost of cancer treatment.

“It takes 2 days to reach my village by train. Even visiting the children and our parents is not an option; we can’t afford it financially, and neither can I risk losing the job that is helping us survive here. But Abdul’s treatment cost is beyond our means, and we are all out of options,” - Kadir Ali

You can help

Back in their village, Abdul’s two younger siblings, including a two-year-old, wait for the family to return. This Ramadan, the family will not break fast together. Their only prayer is for Abdul’s recovery, and you can help save their son. 

Abdul needs prolonged chemotherapy, and your Zakat can help him fight cancer. 

Donate now!