Twelve-year-old Ravi Dave Sain of Experiment Bath, West Berbice was diagnosed with cancer in the nose and brain over one year ago but even after two surgeries, his condition was still not improving.
His mother, Bhagmattie Sain made several trips to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) in a desperate bid to help him.
However she was disappointed that the surgeries were just to remove pieces of the growth to send to Trinidad for testing. It was after the first surgery that she was confronted with the truth about her son’s condition and was devastated.
As if that news was not enough to deal with she learnt after the second surgery, that the cancer had started to spread to his brain. A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan which was done in July also confirmed that there was “a large mass (extra axial) in the region of the skull with local bony destruction…”
Ravi who attended the Bath Primary School was about to write the Grade Six Assessment examination when the unusual swelling started. Unfortunately he had to quit school because of the time spent going to the doctor and because he suffered from periodic headaches.
The last of three brothers, his mother said he would play and be very active like any normal child his age but as soon as the headaches start he would go and sit in a corner quietly.
When she notices that she would give him painkillers and he would sleep his pain away and “as soon as he wake up and if the pain gone he would go and play again.”
She told this newspaper that after the second surgery she had stopped taking the child to the clinic because “is a lot of money me have to spend to go every time and me money finish.”
A few months ago the nurses called her and told her to take the child for another surgery but she was afraid that “he would pass through the same thing” for the third time and she did not go.
Besides she said that after she learnt the truth about the diagnosis and her son’s condition had actually worsened she did not think that there was anything left for the doctors to do.
With all hope lost and nowhere to turn Sain said she was forced to “lef down the boy just like that.” But that was before she learnt about the Aditya Kids Trust Fund Foundation (AKTFF) that helps needy children with medical complaints.
During a fund-raising activity in August for the foundation at the Bath Settlement Community Centre Ground she approached the President/Founder, Narchand Mohan.
She related her son’s plight to him and said she needed financial assistance for him to undergo surgery. Mohan who resides in Canada willingly agreed to help.
Secretary/Treasurer of the foundation, Zulfikar Alli told this newspaper that they took the child to the Cancer Institute of Guyana (CIG) for an assessment of his condition and learnt that he required radiotherapy.
He said that after being told that the five-day per week therapy would cost $365,000 they sent a letter to the Ministry of Health (MOH) requesting assistance with half of the expense.
Alli said that after some time had elapsed and there was no response from the MOH they decided to start the treatment because the child needed it urgently.
The treatment would run for 18 sessions for five weeks and Ravi is already in the third week of therapy.
At the end of the sessions it is expected that the size of the growth would be reduced and based on Ravi’s condition the doctors would decide if surgery would be possible in Guyana. If not, it would have to be done in Trinidad.
Sain told this newspaper it is her desire for the surgery to be performed in Trinidad. She is aware that the surgery would be costly and that the AKTFF cannot do it alone but is hopeful that when the time comes other persons may be willing to assist.
The woman is grateful to the AKTFF for the great interest they have shown in the child and said the members have given her a lot of hope.
She is also optimistic about his progress because the doctors ran some blood tests “and the blood ok.” He also has to undergo more tests as the treatment continues.
Full of confidence when she spoke to this newspaper, Sain said “God must bless the Aditya Foundation because they would help to save a life. They must get more to help other more children.”
The AKTFF was set up in memory seven-year-old Aditya Ramdhin of Bath who was diagnosed with a heart condition.
Aditya’s parents had approached Mohan who was holidaying in Guyana at the time for assistance.
Through the help of Mohan, the MOH and other persons, the child was sent to India for a heart surgery but sadly the surgery was not successful.
After the child’s death, Mohan was moved to form the AKTFF and members made a commitment to help children with similar complaints.
They have also provided a portion of money to assist another child, Farziena Haniff of Canje to travel to India for a heart surgery. She made it back alive and well.
Alli was pleased to say that the proceeds from the fund-raising event that was held in August would go towards the establishment of a public library and resource centre which will include computer facilities, at Bath Settlement.
The event which was sponsored by Jetoo Lumber Yard and Sawmilling of Coverden, East Bank Demerara, was in the form of a 20/20 cricket tournament and a cultural show where children of Cotton Tree Village and Bath Settlement displayed their talents.
Currently the foundation is assisting two students of the Bush Lot and Fort Wellington Secondary Schools with money and school supplies.
Alli said they visited the school to conduct a research about the most deprived cases and the students – one who is orphaned and lives with the grandmother and the other who is from a single parent household – were selected. Meanwhile three students who excelled at the last NGSA were honoured with prizes and sponsorship. The students honoured were Durgaswarie Singh and Darshanie Poonie of Bath Settlement and Jewel Thom of Number Five Village, West Berbice.
They were presented with gold jewellery from Ashook Jewellery of Ontario, Canada and MP4 players, compliments of El Toro Import/Export of Guyana and Apollo Health and Beauty Care of Ontario, Canada.
Durgaswarie and Darshanie were sponsored by Lorraine Kissoon and Nasir Ghany respectively, both of Ontario, Canada, to attend secondary school.
The sponsorship included all school related expenses for a one-year period. Continuation of sponsorship will depend on performance and commitment of the children, Alli said.
