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A Mother
Nasreen, a 46-year-old housewife, lived a peaceful life in her small comfortable
home, caring for her five children. Her husband, Khan, works
as a senior clerk in the Pakistan Railways, earning a meagre
salary of Rs. 4,500 (US$ 75) a month.
Nasreen was once in the habit of chewing ‘pan’ and betel nut, which eventually
proved detrimental to her health. She started experiencing pain in her mouth and developed sores; she
had difficulty eating, and even talking
was a chore for her. She went to the nearest general
practitioner, who simply prescribed some pain killers and
mouth gel, which hardly gave her any relief. When her pain
reached an intolerable level, a friend suggested AKUH.
The physician diagnosed Nasreen with mouth cancer and recommended immediate
surgery. When the family was informed of the total cost of
the surgery, estimated at Rs. 95,000 (US$ 1,583), both Khan
and Nasreen were terrified. They could not even dream of arranging
such an amount.
They contacted their doctor again to find some way out. Their doctor suggested
that they contact the patient welfare office. The welfare
officer listened to their problem and assured them assistance.
The hope given by the officer encouraged the family to go
ahead with the surgery. Friends and family members pooled
their resources and the surgery was scheduled.
The total cost of treatment came to Rs.112,143 (US$ 1,870). The welfare
office paid Rs. 48, 743 (US$ 812), and the rest was arranged
by Nasreen’s family and friends. The surgery entailed removal
of a portion of her tongue, cheek and neck, but thankfully
the timely surgical intervention ensured that she was spared
the agony of a painful existence. Today, Nasreen is contentedly
leading a normal life, happy in her small little world with
her family.
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