Dubai: 5-Year-Old Battles Rare Cancer As Family Struggles To Cover Costs, Seeks Support

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Since March last year, Saud Zaheer's family has lived by a new routine. Their lives revolve around hospital visits, and at night they watch over their 5-year-old son, Yusha Saud, as he sleeps.

Yusha, their first child, is autistic, non-verbal, and depends entirely on his parents for daily care. In March, Yusha lost the ability to walk and became weak. His parents took him to a hospital in Sharjah, where doctors initially suspected arthritis and began treatment.

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Weeks passed, but Yusha did not improve. He became weaker, lost his appetite, and struggled to eat.“He struggled to walk as his body changed. He looked completely different,” said his father.

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As time went on, the family became more worried. The family returned to the hospital, and a CT scan revealed a large tumour extending from Yusha's chest to his abdomen - bigger than anyone had expected.

“We were immediately referred to a government hospital in Al Ain because they had all the equipment needed for treatment,” said Saud. There, doctors did more tests and diagnosed him with stage four high-risk neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer of the nervous system.

Doctors explained the treatment plan to Yusha's parents. First, he would have chemotherapy to shrink the tumour, followed by surgery to remove it. After that, he would need a bone marrow transplant and then radiotherapy. It was a long process, but the family agreed to begin the treatment immediately.

Yusha started chemotherapy in June at the public hospital in Al Ain, completing eight cycles, each ten days apart. The family repeated the routine of frequent hospital visits and tests until early September.

During this period, the family's insurance started to run out. Their basic medical plan had a yearly limit of Dh150,000. It covered five chemotherapy cycles, but not the last three. Each of those cycles costs about Dh32,000. Saud used his savings and received help from friends and well-wishers.

In November, Yusha underwent surgery to remove the tumour. The insurance had renewed by then, providing another Dh150,000. About Dh100,000 was spent on the surgery, and follow-up care quickly used up the rest.

In December, Yusha was moved to a private hospital in Abu Dhabi for a bone marrow transplant. A charity foundation covered the Dh200,000 cost and arranged discounts. He left the hospital on December 31.

Since then, recovery has been slow. The family travels from their home in International City to the hospital every two to three days for follow-up care. Although the major procedures are done, his treatment is not finished yet.

Doctors say that radiotherapy and immunotherapy are very important to lower the risk of the cancer coming back. Unlike earlier treatments, these are not covered by the family's insurance, which has run out.

Radiotherapy, expected to cost about Dh85,000, must begin by January 20. After that, Yusha will need immunotherapy, but the cost for that is still unknown.

Saud works in sales and marketing at a building materials company. Over the past year, it has been hard for him to go to work regularly.“My employer has been understanding,” he said.“He has not deducted my salary. I am thankful for that.”

After months of moving between hospitals, scans, and recovery rooms, Saud says they are staying hopeful.“We have come this far. We are trusting the almighty and continuing.”

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