5-year-old Jagritee Kashyap from Mangaldai, Assam, was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukaemia (ALL) in July 2018. She has come a long way since then! The shy and introverted Jagritee started her treatment at Dr. Bhubaneswar Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Assam, at a normal grade of malnutrition wherein her body weight was 10.8 kgs.
Momi, our Nutritionist at BBCI, Assam informs, “Luckily, when we began Jagritee’s treatment, her nutritional status was normal, and she had very few side effects from chemotherapy. Even though her body was responding well to the treatment, she was mentally distressed, affecting her eating habits. Jagritee’s father, Hari Chandra, adds, “We were all emotional about this sudden change in Jagritee’s behaviour, but we were ready for it. Momi’s insight into Jagritee’s psychological state and eagerness to address that even though she was physically responding well was extremely endearing.”
Jagritee needed a different approach. She was mentally tired with the treatment and needed a positive reinforcement that went beyond words. Momi explains how her counselling approach towards Jagritee went beyond the family, “I felt she needed to be reassured that she will be okay in the long run and that she is not alone. During Jagritee’s visits to the hospital, I would make sure she spends time with other children like her. She felt a sense of solidarity with these bonds she forged during her stay, and that gave her the much-needed mental strength.”
These interactions proved useful as Jagritee gradually came out of her withdrawn state and resumed normal interactions with her parents and people around her. “This positivity helped her to follow the dietary requirements prescribed by Momi and the treatment became less of a burden on her,” adds Hari.
This positive change in her mental state reflects in her anthropometric measurements too. Jagritee is gradually gaining weight, and within a span of one and a half years, she has put on almost 8 kgs of weight and added 14.3 cms to her height.
Many children like Jagritee are slowly regaining mental and physical strength because of your generous support. We hope that your constant help enables us to transform many more young lives positively.
