Hyderabad: For most women across the world, International Women’s Day is a time of recognition, celebration, and honour. It is a day dedicated to achievements, triumphs, and the unwavering spirit of womanhood. However, for Bilquees Begum of Shatam Nagar in Mohammadi Lines, Golconda, this day holds no significance. There are no celebrations, no laurels, and no moments of pride. Instead, it is just another day in her relentless battle to keep her ailing daughter alive.
For the past ten years, Bilquees and her family have been waging a war against an unforgiving enemy – brain cancer. Her 15-year-old daughter, Sakeena Begum, has been suffering from high-grade Tectal Glioma, a rare cancerous tumor in the brain that has drained the family emotionally, physically, and financially. Every day, Bilquees wakes up with the same purpose: to find the means to pay for Sakeena’s treatment, to gather enough money to buy medicines and to ensure her daughter sees another sunrise.
“Right from the age of seven, my daughter has been suffering from cancer, and I am doing my best to save her life,” says Bilquees, her voice laced with exhaustion and unyielding determination.
Begum and her husband, Syed Lateef, have five children – two daughters and three sons. Her elder son, Syed Azeez, is doing Hifz (Quran memorization) at a madrasa. The entire family fights this battle together, united by love and desperation. They make a meager living by selling pigeon feed near the Galaxy Theatre in Tolichowki. At the crack of dawn, they set up their small makeshift stall near the flyover, selling tiny polythene bags filled with jowar grains. People buy these to feed the pigeons that gather there in large numbers. It is with these humble earnings that the family struggles to afford Sakeena’s expensive treatment.
“We manage to sell about 15 to 16 packets a day, each costing us Rs 40,” says Lateef, who once worked as a painter but gave up his job as Sakeena now needs constant care and support. She can no longer walk on her own, her vision has blurred, and her hearing has deteriorated significantly. Frequent bouts of excruciating headaches leave her weak, yet she bravely fights on, just like her mother.
Currently, Sakeena is undergoing treatment at the Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), but her medical journey has taken her through several hospitals over the years, including Mediciti Hospital, MNJ Cancer Hospital, and Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital. Each step of this painful journey has come with insurmountable costs, debts, and uncertainties. The family has already incurred over Rs 4 lakh in debts, struggling to keep up with the never-ending financial burden.
As Sakeena’s condition worsens, the need for urgent medical intervention becomes more pressing. Although the doctors have explained to the family that the disease is incurable and the prognosis is extremely guarded, Bilquees remains hopeful that something will work and her daughter will recover. The doctors at KIMS have recommended an MRI of the brain and four cycles of Bevacizumab plus Irinotecan injections. These injections are stated to be very costly. The family has no idea how they will arrange the money, but Bilquees refuses to give up. With every ounce of strength she is left with, she continues to plead for help, hoping that someone will extend a helping hand.
“I don’t know how to raise the money,” she admits, her voice trembling with both fear and determination. “I am hoping that the community will come forward and help us with Zakat money this Ramzan.”
The month of Ramzan is a time of generosity, kindness, and compassion. It is a time when people give in charity, hoping to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Bilquees prays that her plea reaches the hearts of kind souls willing to lend support to a mother who refuses to let go of hope.
It is not just a story of hardship and despair – it is a story of unshakable resilience, boundless love, and a mother’s undying devotion to her child. While the world celebrates the achievements of women on this special day, Begum remains a testament to the greatest achievement of all: the sheer will to fight against all odds for the love of her child.
Her struggles, she hopes, will not go unheard, and help will come in time to save Sakeena. Until then, Begum continues her battle, one day at a time, with nothing but love, courage, and an unbreakable spirit to guide her. Those who want to help can reach Bilquees Begum on phone 7993538724.
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