The Sensitivity and Truth Behind "Hands of Life: Amaar's Battle with Leukemia" When I began writing "Hands of Life - Amaar's Battle with Leukemia" I did not have an imaginary story in mind, but a pain, a burning question- Can a father silently watch his child inching toward death and endure the helplessness of not being able to do anything? Can a mother, who wishes to cut her own heart to ease every pain of her child, simply sit still, waiting only for medical reports?
"Hands of Life - Amaar's Battle with Leukemia" was born from such questions-an emotional journey that suddenly descends upon an ordinary middle-class family when they discover that their only son has been diagnosed with leukemia, or blood cancer.
What is Leukemia?
Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that affects the bone marrow and blood cells. Normally, bone marrow produces healthy red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. But in leukemia, the bone marrow begins to produce abnormal and inactive white blood cells, which gradually crowd out the healthy functioning cells of the body.
The four main types of leukemia are:
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)
Among children, most cases are of ALL (Acute
Lymphoblastic Leukemia). It can be treated, but it requires time, money, and immense emotional endurance.
The Heart of the Story: Amar and His Family
The soul of this novel is an innocent child, Amar, who visitsa hospital with complaints of mild fever and fatigue-only to find his life turning in a completely new and unexpecteddirection.
This novel is not merely the story of an illness, but the echo of the emotions of every parent who counts each breath oftheir child as if it were their own. Shiv-a middle-class father, and Sitara-though a stepmother, yet more devoted thanmost mothers. Through these two characters, I have tried toshow that fighting leukemia is not only a physical battle, butalso a struggle on the mental, emotional, and financialfronts.
The Inspiration Behind Writing
The inspiration for writing this novel came from two
sources:
1. A real middle-class family, struggling to arrange a bonemarrow transplant for their child.
2. A newspaper clipping where a mother had said:
"If only I could donate my bone marrow, my son wouldhave survived!"
That day, I realized-while science may have advancedgreatly, treatment has become equally out of reach for thecommon man, turning hope into a distant dream.