Boy suffering from kidney disease excited to make new friends

KULIM: Despite suffering from kidney disease, Year One pupil Visvaan Nair was excited to start schooling and was seen cheerfully talking to other pupils in his class.

He was among 90 pupils who arrived for the first time at SK Paya Besar.

“It’s great to come to school and make new friends,” he said when met by Bernama.

The younger of two siblings who has to use a special plastic bag to drain his body fluids said he was not bothered by it.

“There are friends who ask (about the bag), but they do not dare to touch it. They just look from afar,” he explained.

Visvaan’s grandmother N. Prema, 58, who had been taking care of him since he was a baby, said he could not wait to get to school.

“He has been very active since he was in preschool, even after he became sick. He just has to be a little careful now because of the special bag,” she said.

Prema said her grandson was diagnosed with kidney disease in December 2016.

“His right kidney does not function at all now. Apparently he has had the disease since he was a baby. However, we did not know about it until he got terribly ill,” she said.

Prema said Visvaan is scheduled for a check-up on Jan 8 where a doctor will decide if he should undergo surgery.

“I’m just a little worried other pupils may try to touch the bag. However, the teachers here have assured me they will monitor the situation and make him sit in the front row of the classroom,” she added.

Over in Sik, Mohammad Isyraf Danish Rizulakhir and Mohammad Isyraf Darwish were among 109 students who started Year One at SK Sik here. Their father, Rizulakhir Dahri, 31, said it was difficult to get them up early but both were eager to start school.

SK Sik headmaster Shukari Yaakob said Muhammad Faris Zaqwan, who has bone cancer, was among the 57 boys and 52 girls enrolled for Year One.

“Enrolment is still open and the number of pupils may increase. There will be four Year One classrooms this year,” he said.