Comedian Munawar Faruqui revealed his heartbreaking story in a podcast hosted by Janice Sequeira. For the first time, he spoke about the health condition of his son named Mikael who was diagnosed with a rare disease that causes inflammation of the blood vessels and also can damage the heart, namely Kawasaki disease.
Munawar Faruqui also shared his financial condition at that time, he faced a medical bill of Rs 75,000 with only a few hundred rupees. Then he tried to borrow money from people he knew.
“The situation scared me. My son was one and a half years old at that time. He fell ill, and for 2-3 days, his condition did not improve. After taking home to the hospital, we found out he had Kawasaki disease. Three injections were required, each costing Rs 25,000. I needed Rs 75,000 but had only Rs 700-800 in my wallet,” the comedian said.
Even though he was facing financial difficulties, he tried to remain calm in front of the doctor who treated his son Mikael. “I smiled casually at the doctor, assured him that I would arrange a time. But when I stepped out, I froze for 30-40 minutes, unable to think. That was my toughest moment,” he said.
Munawar Faruqui recounted how he got money for his son’s treatment by calling ten times to the place where he used to work for help until they finally gave him a loan. He said he traveled for three hours to get the money, and although he was relieved that the money was in his hands, Faruqui could not smile because the money did not belong to him personally.
From this incident, Munawar Faruqui admitted that financial readiness is indeed very important, especially for urgent needs. Later, he promised to ensure that he would never run out of money again and try his best to meet his family’s financial needs.
What is Kawasaki Disease?
Kawasaki Disease is one of the rare diseases that has seen an increase in the number of cases in the last two years according to observations by pediatricians in India. Children under the age of five are often the main victims of this disease.
The exact cause of Kawasaki disease is not yet known, but it is thought to be triggered by an infection in children who have a genetic predisposition to the disease. Characterized by high fever for more than five days, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, striking redness in the hands and feet, a tongue that is red like a strawberry, chapped lips, red eyes and full of rashes. The next symptom is that the skin on the tips of the fingers and toes begins to peel.
Kawasaki disease is often mistaken for the diseases that are related to fever in children and underestimates the symptoms. Delaying examination when symptoms have appeared can lead to serious complications. If not treated quickly and not treated immediately, it can cause aneurysm of inflammation that causes dilation of the coronary arteries which can increase the risk of blood clots and heart attacks.