New Delhi:
She is just three years old and cannot make out anything. She just wants to see her father smiling — all the time. Her elder sister, who is 12-year now, knows that her father is stuck with some disease. But she also could not understand why like in many others cases, her father’s disease is not getting cured. She perhaps does not know this is a beginning of an end.

This is a story about a house in Shivpur, Varnasi, where hockey Olympian Vivek Singh resides – happily till recently with two children in a compact family. 1988 Seoul Olympic participant Vivek Singh is known as fighter on the hockey fields. But his present battle is rather difficult one for the one of the best midfielder that India has produced. He is suffering from dreaded cancer. Vivek himself is aware the type of fight he is waging nowadays, almost the losing one.

He told me over phone from Varanasi, “My family and I know the condition. My children knows that their father has to bear and live with this disease. I have to endure this as much as I live.”

India’s well known forward, Md. Shahid, who also played along side Vivek, has of late come forward to extend helping hand to his friend in need. He organized a press meet to appeal for help. Speaking to this writer from Varanais, sahid said, “I had to come forward. Vivek has never demanded anything for himself. When ever I visited his home, the difficulties they undergo mentally is apparent. I normally don’t much come in front of media, but situation being as it is, I have no other way.” Though Shahid feels it’s is a losing battle for Vivek, but says, “ I know, Vivek knows but we all want his family does not suffer much. We will support Vivke in his battle. He has two little kids. Cancer is such a disease it brings sorrow and peril to the whole family.But why can’t we be confidently face the reality?”

Vivek is being treated at Varanasi under Dr. Himanshu Shekhar Batra though often Vivek resorted to medical services of Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital in Bombay. Says Dr. Batra, “ Vivek’s cancer is in advance stage. Nothing we could do. First it was just liver that was affected, then it got spread. It has even reached urinary system. This is being treated now; we want him face minimum hardships. Dr. Batra feels that though cure is difficult, it all depends on individuals capacity, extent his body would assimilate and react to medicines, that will define his conditions in the days to come. Vivek underwent hemotheraphy in Tata Hospital ten days ago, and further tests will be taken in ten days time before the results will be forwarded to Tata Hospital.

Shahid knows well the turmoil Vivek’s family is going through. “ivek’s wife is a fighter’s wife. They will have to fight it out.” Shahid is also distraught with the Almighty, “I don’t know why God is angry with us.”

But Vivek is polite, calm and composed. He entertains no ill will. “I get all round help. In my life I left nothing without a fight. So this time also I will wage a grim battle. There are many players in Vivek’s family and we players have no habit of losing.”

Translated from ‘Hindustan’, a prominent Hindi daily.