Only 6 months left, don’t tell my parents about my cancer: Six-year-old told Hyderabad doctor

HYDERABAD: “I have only six months left, don’t tell parents about my cancer” — that’s what a six-year-old told a Hyderabad doctor in a now-viral tweet shared by the neurologist after his death.
For a child with such a short lifespan left, Manu (name changed) showed remarkable composure, a still-stunned Dr Sudhir Kumar of Apollo Hospitals recalls in the heart-wrenching January 5 tweet that has been read by over a million.
For Dr Kumar, it was another busy OPD when a young couple walked in. “Manu is waiting outside. He has cancer, but we haven’t disclosed that to him. Please see him and advise your treatment and don’t share the diagnosis with him,” they told the doctor. Manu was brought in a wheelchair. “He had a smile, appeared confident and smart,” Dr Kumar recollected.

Manu had been diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme grade 4 on the left side of his brain, because of which he had paralysis of the right hand and leg. He had been operated and was on chemotherapy. He also suffered from seizures, which were due to the brain cancer.
“They were about to leave, when Manu requested his parents to allow him to talk to me in private,” the doctor recalled. Quoting Manu, Dr Kumar said: “Doctor, I have read all about the disease on iPad and I am aware that I will live only for six more months but I haven’t shared this with my parents as they would get upset. They love me a lot. Please don’t share this with them.”
This left the doctor a bit shaken. “I gathered myself. ‘Sure, I will take care of what you said’. I called his parents and requested them to speak to me after making Manu wait outside. I shared the entire conversation with them,” Dr Kumar said.
The doctor said he couldn’t keep the promise to Manu, as it was important to bring the family on the same page on a sensitive issue like this.
Nine months later, the couple returned to see him. The doctor recognised them at once and enquired about Manu’s health. The response of the parents was: “Doctor, we had a great time with Manu after we met you. He wanted to visit Disneyland and we went with him. We lost him a month ago. Today’s visit is to just thank you for giving us those best eight months.”
The doctor said he couldn’t keep the promise to Manu, as it was important to bring the family on the same page on a sensitive issue like this.