Star turn takes despair to joy

PUNE, MARCH 29: There IS one oncology ward in Pune, whose 10-year-olds will, for once, not shudder through the night in nightmares of pai...

PUNE, MARCH 29: There IS one oncology ward in Pune, whose 10-year-olds will, for once, not shudder through the night in nightmares of pain and fear. For they had a surprise gift, when Ajay Jadeja, Javagal Srinath, Anil Kumble, Nikhil Chopra and Ajit Agarkar walked into their ward today evening, after their net practice at Nehru Stadium.

The visit was an unscheduled one, coming about after the cricketers received communication on their arrival about children who were too sick to come and meet them on the field or in the hotel. The international stars were more than willing.

The young kids, all between the age of 5 and 15, were too awe-struck to say anything. 8220;Have they actually come to meet us?8221; was one whispered question. A far more poignant one was from a seven-year-old who questioned with tears in his eyes, 8220;Why us? They must be really busy people.8221; Virendra Sehwag answered him aptly: 8220;Who are we? We are just very ordinary human beings. They are the sufferers. They are the heroes.8221;

Among thegaiety that breezed into the hospital doors was one cloud of darkness. The memory of 12-year-old Prashant. Struck by bone cancer, Prashant had made a wish last year to meet Rajesh Chauhan, Salil Ankola, Paras Mhambrey, Jatin Paranjpe and Nilesh Kulkarni. Barely two months after his wish was fulfilled, Prashant peacefully closed his eyes and slipped away into a world where the loss of his legs would not be a handicap to playing his favourite game. Among his last words: 8220;I have met these international players. They have come all the way to meet me. My life is complete.8221;

It was Prashant8217;s younger brother, a 10-year-old who has already lost two of his brothers to this dreaded disease, who initiated the request for this visit today.

The knowledge of the cricketers about this subject, which is definitely not the topic of after-the-match conversations, was amazing. And so were the questions 8212; How much will it cost? What are the exact treatments?

Chemotherapy or radiation? What is the dose of chemotherapythey are receiving? How often do they receive this dose? How do you counter the side effects? Questions that reveal acquaintance with people on this side of life is not simply a passing one.

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And they were paid in full. Ramesh8217;s words when asked whether he knew who was standing in front of him would probably be enough to inspire Srinath and Kumble to a World Cup win on their own.

8220;You are India.8221;