Story of Kimia

“Kimia is the fictional name given to the girl whose story we are about to tell”

The social workers room is so crowded. I look around searching the faces, looking for a face that I would recognize as the face of a young child who had been a patient in MAHAK years ago.
Suddenly one of the social workers calls out to me, I approach her, and see that she is talking to a young lady.
She asks me whether I had an appointment with Kimia.
I reply yes and look around to see if I can find her. My colleague points to the girl she was talking to, I try to hide my surprise, as I see no trace of the young sick child who had been with us years ago. We find a quiet place which is very difficult in the crowded room of the social worker department and sit down facing each other.
Kimia starts the conversation by saying how proud she feels when she walks inside MAHAK and some parents mistake her as one of the social workers, she adds that when she explains to them that years ago she was one of the cancer patients, and now is on one of her annual check–ups, people face light up from happiness –.This part is the high-light of her day- especially when she tells then that she is cancer free now and studying at the university majoring computer engineering. She goes on that she was diagnosed whit sarcoma of the left-arm when she was 12 years old.
She has a usual story. It took a long time for her to be diagnosed whit cancer. She suffered a long time, going from town to town, from hospital to hospital, therefore loosing the sweet period of childhood.
She tries to tell her story without any grief.
Anyway she explains by the age of 12. She had to go under surgery, and as a result she had her arm amputated. She looked and seemed so normal that even me, who know her illness had not noticed that her left arm was a prosthesis arm.
She continues telling me how relieved and happy she had been after her amputation. She did not have pain any more.
I did not think of the tremendous loss of a limb; “only that I was free of pain”. Of course little by little I came to realize how difficult it was to be with just one arm; but I could not become sad, “asjust remembering the pain, brought pain”.
All these years it has been Kimia who has been a positive force in the family not allowing her mother to become depressed.
From Kimia’s point of view, cancer is not a problem. After the operation, she had to go under chemotherapy for 2 years. This period was the most difficult part of her disease; she declared it was even more difficult than losing her arm.
She was tired of the hospital. She looks around and says that if we were in MAHAK at that time –she wouldn’t have gone through so much frustration, and difficulties. MAHAK had no hospital and had not expanded to such an extent.
Now when I come to MAHAK, I feel so peaceful. It is so clean and full of energy –so different from what I had to go through- full of life, colors and a beautiful fun place for kids. Lots of play rooms that kids really need at this age. Children don’t even feel they are in a hospital and are not afraid of doctors. Here they don’t allow you to “feel sorry for yourself”.
Kimia believes that when a child is diagnosed whit cancer and knows that it is a reality the best thing is to be able to pass the treatment stage in a happy environment. She is grateful that she was informed by the volunteers of MAHAK in hospital.
She said “volunteers constantly checked on her to see if she was O.K. financially. After I got my prosthesis arm with the help of MAHAK.
There was nothing else to do. I thought I had no more business with MAHAK, until 3 months ago I got a phone call.
MAHAK wanted to know how I was doing. I told them I really wanted another arm a little more sophisticated that the present one. I never expected MAHAK to help but do you believe it. They are going to try to get me a new and more sophisticate one. I am so happy “unbelievable”!
When I ask Kimia how she was able to … with her disability and have a positive altitude  She replied” I always hated people’s pity therefore  from the very beginning I decided to do all my personal stuff myself. I am no different from  any other person. it is once view of life that give meaning to life. Of course it is true that I’ve lost limb but it has not restricted me in any way I always repeat to myself and  I thank god that he has given all the strength of my left arm to my right arm and I can do everything  all by myself.”
Kimia talks with so much energy that people sometimes stop and smile at us. she has such a happy face. One of her statements has stuck in my mind. she said that “this disease was not in my  power- but the future is in my power. It is in my hands to build the future and build it in a way that will help to ease the pain of the past. It is in my power to thank god that I have a strong spirit  because to have a weak spirit is worse than having a disability.
With such a strong character I know that  Kimia has a lot to say to the children of MAHAK and their families.
Kimia added in their message for MAHAK’s children ;” you have to accept that this disease was in your path. You have learn that along with your treatment you have to live and enjoy life as well. Tell yourself that it is  not important that I am in this situation- the important thing is to battle best in such a situation. Even the challenge and the fight with the disease have to be the best . You have the opportunity to fight with your disease. You are one step ahead of others who don’t have this disease.
You have the opportunity to become a hero . you must not compare yourself with other. Must not try to find answers for the whys. There are always people worse off than you. You must know  you CAN and you can make your dreams come true”.
Couple of months after my conversation with Kimia  I saw here again but this time her dream had come true and she had got her new prosthesis. She told me that the new prosthesis is really comfortable and I am really happy that I have got it with MAHAK’s support.