When Munawar struggled to arrange ₹75,000 for son's Kawasaki treatment
What's the story
Stand-up comedian and Bigg Boss 17 winner Munawar Faruqui recently spoke about a difficult time in his life when his son was diagnosed with a rare disease, Kawasaki, at just one and a half years of age.
The disease, which causes inflammation of blood vessels and can potentially damage the heart, required costly treatment which Faruqui found hard to afford.
He revealed this personal story on a recent podcast hosted by Janice Sequeira.
Financial crisis
'I had ₹700-800 in my wallet': Faruqui's financial struggle
Recalling the harrowing time, Faruqui said, "My son was one and a half years old back then. He fell ill, and for 2-3 days, his condition didn't improve."
"After taking him to the hospital, we discovered he had Kawasaki disease. Three injections were required, each costing ₹25K. I needed ₹75K but had only ₹700-800 in my wallet."
Despite his financial predicament, he assured the doctor he would arrange for the funds.
Support sought
Faruqui sought help from former workplace amid crisis
Faruqui recalled his mental state, saying he "froze for 30-40 minutes, unable to think."
Despite the situation, he was able to find help. He made 10 calls before a place he had previously worked at agreed to lend him the money.
"I traveled to Mumbai Central, collected the money, and returned within three hours. While I was relieved, I couldn't smile because it wasn't my money."
"After that day, I made sure I'd never be insufficient financially again."
Disease
Know more about the disease
Per Mayo Clinic, "Kawasaki disease causes swelling, called inflammation, in the walls of small to medium-sized blood vessels that carry blood throughout the body. Kawasaki disease most often affects the heart arteries in children. Those arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart."
"Children with Kawasaki disease might have high fever, swollen hands and feet with skin peeling, and red eyes and tongue. But Kawasaki disease is often treatable. With early treatment, most children get better and have no long-lasting problems."