Dinesh & Family
"The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other."
When life grabs you by the neck and thrusts you into the deepest troughs, when you’re constantly put through a series of tests that shake and weaken your core, when you feel like you're hanging on an invisible thread threatening to snap, how do you find the willpower and strength to go on?
For Leukaemia survivor Dinesh Kumar, his force of life lies within his family and this is his story.
You know how some people have the ability to radiate positive aura and brighten up the lives of people around them? Well, Dinesh is one of those people. When we first met, his warm smile eased away any feelings of unfamiliarity and as he shared his story with us, we were drawn in by how this humble, unassuming family man was clouded with dreams of providing a brighter future for his close-knitted family of four.
And of Dinesh's own aspirations? Currently a police coast guard specialising in the field of IT management, Dinesh shared that he once had big dreams of setting up his own IT business as his personal hobby revolves around helping others troubleshoot their computers, a dream that dissipated when life dealt him a heavy blow of being diagnosed with leukaemia in 2008.
It all started with blurry vision in his right eye and severe headaches that would last for days on end. Upon his wife's insistence, Dinesh headed down for a check-up and the results left him crushed when he was diagnosed with leukaemia.
Dinesh's first thought was death, a one-way ticket out of this predicament. However, as a young father of 32 with a housewife and two toddlers to care for, Dinesh's death wish was immediately replaced with thoughts of his family; what would happen to them if he was no longer around, how his babies were to grow up without a father figure and how the family would survive without its sole breadwinner.
Upon hearing the news and his worst fears confirmed, Dinesh vividly recalled how his wife fainted on the spot, his face pained up in anguish at the recollection of his state of helplessness back then.
However, with his Doctor's reassurance that the road to recovery would be achievable within two years, Dinesh and Suba decided to place their faith in his Doctor and adopted a positive outlook towards their plight. Thereafter, Dinesh was admitted for one month to start on treatment and he fondly recalled how he felt embraced by positivity and support throughout his hospital stay.
Apart from the side effects which took a toll on him physically, Dinesh's financials were strained without him holding the fort. However, Dinesh is grateful for his family's unwavering support; his mother-in-law who specially flew over from India to help look after the children and whip up wholesome home-cooked dishes, a nutritional diet which Dinesh believes played a significant role in his route to recovery, his parents who helped to transport the food from his home to the hospital and Suba, who took it upon herself to find part-time employment as a nursery teacher despite never having been exposed to the working world before while shouldering the daily household responsibilities.
Dinesh tenderly mused over little Sesaa Nandhinii upon witnessing her father in a sickly state, declared her ambition of being a doctor when she grows up and how she made sure to be extra careful not to disrupt the needle placements when sleeping on daddy’s arm, her favourite naptime hideaway.
In October 2009, Dinesh received his stem cell transplant and has since been cancer-free for six years now. A new lease of life, Dinesh places a firm grip on his second chance at life, and told us how his perspective of life changed, his priorities realigned.
Once a workaholic driven by making more money to provide material joys for his family, Dinesh now cuts a clear work-life balance, making sure he spends ample quality time with his family. He treasures every single moment with Nadhu and Sesaa Nandhinii, and no matter how tired he is from work, makes sure to take them out for outdoor activities, the sporty duo's favourite past-time.
A shy person at heart, Dinesh overcame his introversion through his inclination towards helping people by sharing his journey with cancer via public speaking events and testimonials, as he hopes others in the same boat can learn from his experience and be better prepared on what to expect in their personal journey with cancer.
Dinesh's words of advice? Find the willpower to fight the disease. Start by seeking out a personal motivational factor that will make the fight worth it so even at times when one feels like giving up, the motivation will continue to spur you on. He also stressed the importance of proper financial planning not just for the family, but for oneself, so as to be better prepared for the situation at hand.
And like the message he impresses on his kids, never, ever take life for granted, as anything can happen and it is important to overcome your fears to follow your heart and chase your dreams, because failure is inconsequential knowing you've at least tried.
Last but not least, from the man who has been through hell and back, love conquers all.
To learn more about Leukaemia, click here.
