Sandip Sharma, 12, consoles mother Sunita Devi who is suffering from cancer. Picture by Sanat Kumar Sinha

A 12-year-old Liluah boy who battled a chronic vision problem to do well in school has been forced to quit studies with both his parents being diagnosed with cancer within 10 months of one another.

Till a year ago, the Sharmas were like any other lower middle class family — living on a shoestring budget but finding happiness in son Sandip’s progress at school and the small things of life that money can’t buy. Then things started going horribly wrong.

Between May 2008 and March 2009, Ramakant Sharma, 40, was diagnosed with throat cancer and wife Sunita Devi, 35, with cancer of the oesophagus.

Sandip, a Class VI student at Sri Sakshi Siksha Sadan in Liluah, dropped out of school after his father was forced to quit his job.

“Our son scored 80 per cent in math in his second term but we haven’t been able to send him to school since. We can’t even afford the monthly tuition fee of Rs 200,” said Sunita Devi, bedridden and barely audible.

Ramakant gave up his job in a sari shop two months ago because he was “too weak to continue”.

“I feel so helpless at not being able to afford my wife’s and my own treatment, or pay for our son’s education,” he said.

Apart from being unable to continue his education, Sandip hasn’t seen an eye specialist in months to correct his vision.

“The child wears thick glasses and the family needs Rs 600 every three months for his eye check-up and a new pair of lenses,” a family friend said.

According to oncologist Sharadwat Mukherjee, who has been treating Ramakant and his wife at Subodh Mitra Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, the couple can be cured if they continue treatment as advised.

“Ramakant had gone into complete clinical remission but there has been a recurrence because he could not afford the medicines after his wife too was diagnosed with the disease,” the doctor said.

The family needs Rs 30,000 each month for the prescribed treatment, including chemotherapy at regular intervals.

“Last week, a gentleman named Pawan Saraf gave us Rs 20,000 for my wife’s chemotherapy. Another round is due on June 13 and she also needs medicines. I have no idea where the money is going to come from,” said Ramakant, who blames himself for his plight.

“I used to smoke and chew gutkha earlier,” he admitted.

Drained of even their life’s savings, the couple and their son have left their rented Liluah apartment and moved in with a friend’s family in north Calcutta.

Sandip, who watched every match played by the Kolkata Knight Riders during the first edition of the IPL last year, misses the black and white TV in the Liluah flat the most.