Little angel Junaid brought perspective to our lives with his courage
Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu’s words of encouragement which she delivered at Junaid Arendse’s funeral
I THOUGHT of Junaid as “my baby”.
Last year in December (2016) my husband died of pancreatic cancer. The trauma the family went through in three short months heightened my sensitivity to cancer.
A month after his burial I was touched by a front-page article of this beautiful brave little boy on the front pages of the Cape Times. I contacted his family and arranged for a private meeting – I desperately wanted to give this little boy a chance at survival. I had sessions with his doctor, social workers and firmly believed that we could push back the inevitable.
My time with him was immeasurably fulfilling. He was the epitome of love and I treasure all the time I had especially when he came for weekends. It was fun time.
The more I read on childhood cancer the more I realised we have a looming crisis in Africa with cancer killing more people now than HIV and Aids.
The biggest problem being that most cancers are discovered too late to cure.
To overcome this growing terrible scourge, I have the idea that we need to put more emphasis on educating our people on cancer and even more emphasis on early detection. Our fight should perhaps make it mandatory for regular check-ups for every child.
The regularity will of course be determined by affordability, but we have to have this as part of their compulsory medical care at schools, just like TB and polio inoculation have been.
Junaid fought his condition with amazing resilience and was always so polite, outgoing, pleasant, positive and collected.
He had spent the last three years of his life in and out of hospital but he wouldn’t flinch at the discomfort or pain of the endless needle pricks. I don’t remember him complaining about his ailment nor did he have any sense of victimhood.
“Saintly” is a word that comes to mind about him.
The bravery with which he accepted his condition in the end was quite simply extraordinary. Once in a while fate throws our way someone who brings perspective to our lives.
Here is an innocent soul who accepted what his life gave without complaining, without begrudging anyone, without anger. It puts a perspective that asks: why are we, who have everything, so ready to be angry, to blame others for our misfortune or because things do not go our way? It puts into perspective the fact that one can fight a cause without aggression and anger.
Junaid fought his cause – his right to life – without making the rest of us feel guilty; instead he loved us despite the fact that we had that one privilege that he did not have – the privilege of life.
Having had the privilege of learning from Junaid, I gathered the courage in October to accept to be a patron of CHOC, an organisation that helps families coping with childhood cancer.
I accepted that responsibility because, from my own experience, the pain and anguish of a child with a terminal disease – Junaid. If he can make a difference to so many of us, I could make a difference to so many other young people with cancer.
I loved Junaid. Patricia I hear you calling him yours – no he was MINE, my baby. I remember seeing him the day before he died so beautiful and determined even as he was on level 7.0 morphine.
To the Arendse family thank you for such a treasure, to Doctor Hendrikse who looked after Junaid, the nurses of the oncology unit at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital, to his aunt Felicia who spent most of her time at the hospital caring for Junaid: Thank you.
To the social worker who looked after him – Patricia, thank you for your amazing ability to care, to the staff in my office who willingly accepted Junaid as part of their responsibility, thank you.
To all who helped through this trauma, thank you.
To Junaid’s mom – you gave us a wonderful little angel, to you, consider this: everything happens for a reason.