Gritty Bengal boy battles leukaemia with ‘magical’ dreams in eyes
Subhankar’s father is a medical representative and his mother, Swati, works as an insurance agent. Subhankar was enrolled in a government school in Howrah district, neighbouring Kolkata.
A 15-year-old Bengal boy battling leukaemia is inspiring others with his positive attitude towards life. Subhankar Chakraborty was diagnosed with the deadly disease last year in September but that hasn’t made him give up on life.
Subhankar recently appeared in the ‘Madhyamik’ examination, conducted by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education from the hospital bed when everyone else around him was advising against it.
“My only son was detected with leukaemia on September 14, 2019. We were totally shattered. We told him that there was no need to sit for the exam as he was unwell and needs to undergo treatment. Even the doctors tried to convince him that it would not harm his career if he misses one year,” said Partha Chakraborty, Subhankar’s father.
But Subhankar didn’t relent, his father says he had “made up his mind” to take life as it comes despite all odds and wrote the examination from the hospital’s sickbed.
Subhankar’s father is a medical representative and his mother, Swati, works as an insurance agent. Subhankar was enrolled in a government school in Howrah district, neighbouring Kolkata.
The story of his preparation as narrated by his father is inspiring to say the least, despite his Cannula-pierced wrist and ongoing chemotherapy sessions, the boy studied for the examination.
“While on one hand chemotherapy was going on, he started preparing for his board exam. Some of his school teachers helped him. They shared class notes on my mobile for my son to read in the hospital,” said Swati Chakraborty, the boy’s mother.
“While my father-in-law taught him English, we had engaged a tutor for mathematics,” Partha Chakraborty said.
The examination started on February 18 and ended on February 27. The boy appeared for all the papers while sitting on the hospital bed.
The family says it received some financial aid from the chief minister’s fund for his costly treatment.
“Apart from his studies, he was taking lessons in magic. He used to do stage shows and was a professional. He wants to become a magician when he grows up,” said his mother.
