Battling cancer, Mustafa Jamal from Darrang’s Dalgaon excelled in the HSLC exam. The challenge to live has helped him to do well, the brave teenager said.

Jamal scored 83 per cent marks with letters in science, mathematics, geography and social science. He wants to study science so that he can pursue his dream of becoming a doctor.

“I’m thankful to everyone who has helped me to get good results. We are poor but some of our neighbours, especially the school authorities, helped me a lot. I was more determined seeing the love and warmth of the people. When I was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2015, I was very depressed. But then I realised that I must fight back…so I studied hard,” Jamal told The Telegraph over phone from his residence in a remote village Sialmari near Orang National Park.

When a tumour was detected in his kidney, he became a regular visitor at the B. Borooah Cancer Institute in Guwahati.

“Those were difficult days. It was painful. I know it was also a burden for my parents to travel to Guwahati and do the treatment. I missed classes but my teachers and classmates were kind enough to help me in learning the lessons. Because of their help, I could do well without taking the help of private tutor,” Jamal added.

Now, crossing the first hurdle of his life successfully, Jamal is even determined to bring a change in his life by studying science and then medicine.

“I want to be a doctor. We don’t have doctors here. So, I would be happy to be one,” Jamal said.

For Jamal’s father, Abdul Hasim, 46, this achievement has brought a ray of hope for the family and their locality. “We have never been to school. We don’t even understand much about exams. But we are glad that our son has excelled in the exams. Many people visited our residence,” Hasim, a farmer, said.

However, he doesn’t have money to help his son to continue higher studies.

“So far, people have been helpful. Even the school authorities didn’t ask for fees. But now it’s difficult. Without support and financial help, I won’t be able to meet the expenses,” Hasim said.

He had to spend over Rs 15 lakh in the past four years on Jamal’s treatment. “I had to borrow money from relatives and also from the bank. Even land had to be mortgaged,” Hasim added.

For the school authorities of Koupati Jatia Vidyalaya, it’s a proud moment.

“We are extremely happy and salute the courage and determination of the young boy. We tried our best to make him comfortable in class. We would never ask him about his illness. We even sensitised the students not to misbehave with him or ask him about his illness. Thankfully, the students supported him,” Luton Sarkar, the managing director of the school, told The Telegraph.