The life of Ashfaq,10, and Mushtaq,7, who are suffering from a rare genetic disease Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia (HED), got transformed in a couple of months since HT reported their plight and several organisations and individuals came forward to help them. Most importantly, medical help came to them and their disease could be diagnosed to allay the fear in the minds of villagers that they were ghosts. Even their parents Ajeet Khan and Abila Bi, who were facing a social stigma for giving birth to the children, are receiving praises from society for taking care of their children in adverse circumstances. The disease makes Ashfaq and Mushtaq to feel excessive heat in their bodies. The family didn’t have even an electric fan. To decrease their body temperature, the boys cool off by pouring water on themselves. The hut of boys is fitted with a solar fan and light. “Now, they spend whole time in front of the fan. If they feel more heat they cool themselves by spraying water on themselves and rubbing ice cubes on their does,” said Abila Bi, mother of the boys.
