By Yoginder Sikand,
Tucked away in the by-lanes of Rampur in western Uttar Pradesh in a humble little two-room house live Shoeb and Zubair Shamsi, their 27-year-old sister Saba Mahboob Shamsi and their parents. The parents struggled hard to bring up the kids, with the father toiling till age and its associated weakness compelled him to stay at home.
Shoeb and Zubair dote on their sister Saba who is suffering from myasthenia gravis. Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal muscles of the body. The name myasthenia gravis, which is Latin and Greek in origin, literally means “grave muscle weakness.” The hallmark of myasthenia gravis is muscle weakness that increases during periods of activity and improves after periods of rest. Certain muscles such as those that control eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, chewing, talking, and swallowing are often, but not always, involved in the disorder. The muscles that control breathing and neck and limb movements may also be affected. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease because the immune system – which normally protects the body from foreign organisms – mistakenly attacks itself.
Saba has to be on medicines lifelong which are very expensive. Every bottle of the prescribed medicine “Mastenol” that contains 150 tablets costs a whopping Rs 2700 and is available with very few chemists.
Shoeb takes tuitions for children, going from home to home on his cycle, while his brother Zubair is a taxi driver. Their combined income is Rs 4000 per month. The house rent is also another expense, as are medicines for Saba and Shoeb’s aging and ailing parents. Facing a severe financial crunch, the family finds it difficult to make ends meet.
But the medicines are a must for Saba as it is her lifeline. The family appeals to the community to contribute or guide or help in any way they can so that Saba’s medicines can be bought for her regularly.
Health is wealth and Saba, too, can, like any other girl, dream of being a healthy human being and in future a healthy wife and mother too.
For more details, contact Saba or Shoeb Shamsi at: c/o Mr. Mahboob Ali Shamsi, Ghair Peepal Wala, Saifal Khan. Near House of Datt Bhai, Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, Pin Code 244901. Mobile (Shoeb Shamsi):9359751033