Against all odds

Updated on: Thursday, May 19, 2011

For many students, 80% in the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) board exams is not ideal. But that is not the case for 15-year-old Aayush Mithaiwala from Christ Church School in Byculla. Aayush is perfectly happy with his scores as he has been undergoing chemotherapy for over a year now and this is proof of his hard work.

Aayush is suffering from an internal brain disease which requires radiotherapy and chemotherapy. His last two years have been very difficult but he gave it his best and has made his family and school proud. He had a very tough schedule to handle in the last few months, prior to exams. It primarily consisted of chemotherapy in the morning followed by a quick nap and then it was books all day. “I am very happy with my score, I wasn’t expecting so much. I wanted to do science but have not scored enough, so I will do commerce. I am on cloud nine now!” Aayush said.

He gives immense credit to his family. “They have been very supportive and have helped me sail through tough times,” Aayush said. His family is delighted with his performance. Radhika has never been prouder of her little brother. “He should give us a treat now!” she said. The family has gone through rough times in the past two years but Aayush’s results have boosted their spirits.

The school is also very proud of their student’s achievement. The principal, Carl Laurie, said, “It is very satisfying to know that Aayush has done so well. He was a tremendous sportsman and a much disciplined student. Even in his worst times, he smiled through it all. The teachers were worried about him but he has made us all very happy. We wish him luck for his future endeavours.”

Rishabh gets 76% despite having infectious arthritis

Rishabh Saxena sits on his couch wearing an embarrassed smile. “I am not very satisfied with my percentage,” he says, eyes grazing the floor. A student of Lilavatibai Podar School in Santa Cruz (W), Rishabh scored 76% in his 10th standard board exams. Rishabh’s comment would have been fairly agreeable except for the fact that he has spent a better part of the last three years bedridden, suffering from infectious arthritis, a rare malady for a tender age of 14.

“It all began in eighth standard,” he recounts. “What started as a simple pain in the hip went on to plague me for one and a half years. As a result, I was absent for a major part of eighth and ninth standards. In fact, I had to give a few exams from my bedroom.”

“Infectious arthritis is an infection in fluid and tissues of a joint usually caused by bacteria. A pain or swelling, along with fever, is developed in a few days and it causes abnormal weight loss through its course,” says Shailaja Sabnis, Rishabh’s physician.

During treatment, the antibiotics administered caused severe muscle loss and Rishabh could not walk for long. What followed was 10 months of physiotherapy and Rishabh was declared clinically fit only in the mid-session of 10th standard.

“It was a very sad time for me. Before the disease, being an avid skater, I often used to skate to school, competing with the school bus, and winning. Then came the time when I could not even move my feet.” The school was very considerate about his situation. “My mother has been my biggest support,” Rishabh says as his mother looks on, welling up.

The results have ignited a rejuvenated dedication in Rishabh. An aspiring theoretical physicist, Risabh wants to work at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. “I am studying for my IIT entrance exams,” he says. “I want to make up for everything I’ve missed all these years. At the rate I am going, I feel confident of achieving at least 85% in my 12th standard exams.”

Against all odds

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