Battling cancer, 16-year-old wishes to clear class 12; his school headmaster lends a hand

Anish Sanyal from Kolkata believes he can make it through cancer and pursue his dreams.

Kolkata:Sixteen-year-old Anish Sanyal dreams of becoming a teacher though football has always been his first love. But at an early age, Anish's dreams came crashing down when he was diagnosed with cancer. A resident of Rajarhat Narayantala, the class 12 student stopped going to school in January as his treatment began.

"I used to see him coming from school in the winter and changing and sitting under the ceiling fan. He used to feel tremendously uncomfortable and didn't want to eat anything," Anish's mother Tina Devi said. At first, doctors said that water had accumulated in his chest. Anish was treated at a private hospital in the Baguiati area. Later they found out that Anish had a tumour between his heart and lungs.

Further medical tests revealed that Anish was suffering from cancer, which had spread from the tumor to his entire body. Later, Anish was taken to Vellore for further treatment, which cost the family a whopping Rs 10 lakh. Eventually, Anish's mother and grandfather withdrew from Vellore treatment due to financial constraints. He was later treated at the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata.

Till now, Anish has undergone seven chemotherapy sessions. However, doctors are not sure if the boy will make it through. Anish wishes to appear for the higher secondary exam and if possible become a teacher. Sanjay Barua, the headmaster of Narayan Das Bangur Memorial Multipurpose School, where Anish used to study, went to Anish's house recently and handed over to him the Class 12 books.

He also requested the family to take him to school two to three days a week. The headmaster promised to bear all the expenses of his education. "Anish used to study in our school from class 2. He is a very good student. Now a deadly disease has attacked him. But we are telling his family to bring him to school two to three days a week for a while. I will take responsibility. Teachers will take his classes separately," Barua said.