When 6-year-old Amaan first arrived at a partner hospital in Srinagar, his parents felt their world shift overnight. A diagnosis of Pre B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia meant leaving their rural home in Kashmir and moving into a small rented room near the hospital. Treatment schedules replaced routine. Fear replaced certainty.

His father, Adil Ahmad Chopan, works as a labourer. When treatment began, he left his work behind to stay with his son. The family suddenly found themselves balancing hospital visits, rent, food expenses and uncertainty, all in a city far from home.

“When I heard the diagnosis,” his father recalls, “my mind stopped working. I could not think. I did not know how we would manage treatment, rent or even daily meals.”

In the early days of treatment, Amaan was assessed with mild thinness. Chemotherapy affected his appetite, and maintaining consistent intake became difficult. To ensure that his nutritional status did not deteriorate further, he was regularly counselled and followed up by Cuddles nutritionist Khushnuma. His nutritional intake was carefully monitored. Supplements, ghee additions and monthly ration baskets supported his daily needs. Over time, small improvements began to show. His weight stabilised. His energy improved. Today, he falls within the well-nourished range, a reflection of steady nutritional support and committed caregiving.

For more than 8 months, ration support helped ease the family’s burden. “The nutrition support reduced our daily stress,” his father says. “It allowed us to focus on treatment without worrying about how to arrange food every day.”

A moment that deeply moved Khushnuma happened during a difficult phase of high-dose therapy. One night, when Amaan was feeling particularly weak and afraid, he told his father that he did not feel well and asked him to call his mother. The fear in his voice shook his parents, but it also strengthened their resolve. It reminded them how much their child needed their calm, their courage and their faith.

Despite his own challenges, Amaan’s father, Adil is known in the hospital corridors for elping new families who arrive feeling lost. He guides them, reassures them and shares what he has learned along the way. His kindness has become a quiet source of comfort for others walking the same path.

The bond between Amaan and Khushnuma is built on trust. When offered a new food at home, he often says, “Let’s ask diet madam first.” For his parents, that trust means everything.

He wants to go back to school once treatment is over. He loved nursery, especially reciting rhymes. When asked what he wants to become when he grows up, Amaan says he wants to dedicate his life to learning and teaching faith. His belief gives him strength and hope on difficult days.

Adil’s message to other families is simple. “Stay strong. Do not lose hope. Trust the treatment. There is support around you.”

Amaan’s story reminds us that recovery is not built in dramatic moments. It is built in daily effort, quiet sacrifice, nourishment and the belief that tomorrow can be better than today.