Angkur: Every year, about three lakh children are diagnosed with blood or bone marrow cancer in Bangladesh and 80 percent of them lose their battle to the cancer, due to the lack of treatment and 95 out of 100 children in Bangladesh who get diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia lose their battle to the cancer, due to the lack of treatment.
A photo shows 10-year-old Faisal standing between two paddy fields wearing a Superman costume. There is no indication in the photograph that there is something wrong with him. But Faisal has Leukaemia. Even with such a deadly disease, he wants to fly like Superman – that is seemingly the message in the photograph. Farhana Satu, who is the photographer, took a series of photos that attempt to capture the stories of leukaemia affected kids like
The photographer has tried to brought out the inner voices of the children. the dreams and visions of affected children through the photos, which hauntingly allude to the dreams cherished by those children. This is one of her ongoing photo series which she started back in. 2016 and still continuing to documenting this crisis.
The concept of the project spurred from a rather simple question. I had asked the children suffering from acute leukemia what they wanted to be if they had magic powers. They readily uttered the attributes of their fantasies. Although the characters were fictional, the children believed in their functionalities.
The disease that they are suffering from (acute lymphoblastic leukemia) is medically curable; however, the cost is not a viable option for the parents. Almost all the children are aware of their fate but they remain hopeful. Their aspirations inspired me to bring the project to life.
Their desires had a purpose, like Rupok wanted to grow wings to fly away to a place where his sufferings would cease. The children poured their heart out to me and told me what they wanted to be. Their wish was my command. The entire process of collecting the costumes was an emotional journey for me. By the time I could wrap up the project, some of these precious souls metamorphosed. I believe they are now who they wanted to be. Their photographs shall remain as a testament.
The work is challenging and can be difficult psychologically. Among the kids documented, only two are still alive.
The photpgrapher mentioned that, “When I was photographing at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Medical University Hospital, I had the opportunity to come very close to many children with this disease. Almost all the children were between 5-12 years old. But they didn’t really understand that they were suffering from such a serious disease,”
“I didn’t want to portray their suffering in my story. I tried to portray their dreams and how they feel about themselves. The concept of the project spurred from a rather simple question. I had asked the children suffering from acute leukaemia what they wanted to be if they had magical powers,” Usually, pictures of children show them playing or laughing or crying. But Tried to brought out the inner voices of children in a different way” photographer added.
A selection of photographs from the photo series, with descriptions from the photographer.
I went to see the chariot fair with my father once where I saw a magician. He showed many kinds of magic, since then I also want to show magic.” -Mahin
“Shishu Park is far from our house and the road is not good. I can’t go there easily, if I could be Superman, I would fly away and it would cost me nothing.” -Faisal
I saw a picture of a fairy in a story book. Since then, I just wanted to be like a fairy. If I could become a fairy once, then there would be no more trouble.”-Rupok
“The school is not far away; it can be seen from the window of the house. I will go to school again when I get a little better.” -Fatema
