A Stitch in Time Saves Life

Askiya Timalsina (10 years) is a sponsored child. She lives with her family in Sikharpa, Lele VDC. It’s a remote area in the southern part of Lalitpur District. She is studying at a local public school in grade six. The family does not have cultivable land. Her father is the sole breadwinner in the family. He works as a seasonal daily wage laborer, earning about five thousand rupees monthly. Such a small income is barely sufficient for fulfilling their basic needs.

Everything was going on smoothly in Askiya’s life. She was attending the school regularly and performing satisfactorily. In one fateful day, she felt pain in her left knee. Gradually, it got swollen. Despite the pain and swelling, she did not reveal her condition to anyone. One of the mornings, her knee hurt so badly that she could not reach the school, no matter how much she tried.

She was admitted to a local hospital. All of the required medical tests were done but the disease could not be diagnozed. She was referred to Patan Hospital in Lagankhel– a national level hospital, but her family could not afford to take her there. Therefore, they informed GNI Nepal about her situation. She was provided with the needed financial support.

Askiya was hospitalized for 16 days. In accordance with the doctor’s advice, she took a month-long bed rest. “If she had not been admitted to the hospital on time she could have developed bone marrow cancer”, the doctor at Patan Hospital informed her parents pointing out the critical situation she was in.

After the treatment and bed rest, she recovered completely. Now, she attends the school regularly and takes part in extracurricular activities. In terms of academic performance, she is doing fine.

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