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‘I am an extraordinary 21-year-old’: LUMS student’s final post about battle with cancer

Dawood Ibrahim

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PHOTO: MAHNOOR SHABIR FACEBOOK

Twenty-one year old Mahnoor Shabir passed away after a hard-fought battle with cancer on Monday.

The Lahore University of Management Sciences (Lums) student penned a note about her battle with the life-threatening disease and asked people for their prayers in a Facebook post in January.

“Won a battle but the war against cancer isn’t over yet. Fortunately or unfortunately, it relapsed just a few days back,” she wrote.

In the moving post, Mahnoor spoke about how she should be worrying about things that normal 21-year-olds worry about: exams and relationships for instance; instead, her life revolves around hospital visits, chemotherapy and not getting too attached to anyone.

This World Cancer Day, let’s talk about child patients

“I am a 21-year-old who should be worrying about my quizzes and if I made it above the average, but instead I have to worry about my blood counts being in the normal range… I am a 21-year-old who should be worrying about relationships; instead, I worry about emotional attachment with almost anyone. I am a 21-year-old who should be the one making trips to the hospital for her parents and wheeling them around, instead they are the ones doing it.”

Perhaps the most heart-wrenching part is what followed, when she wrote about her strength and willpower.

“But none of that upsets me; it makes me only more grateful that I am an extraordinary 21-year-old. I am a 21-year-old with incredible strength, willpower, resilience, and courage to face one of the deadliest maladies again. A second attempt may be frustrating but I believe it can be easy too. And it makes me grateful to have the most amazing and supportive parents out there. But I am a 21-year-old who is nothing without Allah or the prayers that He answers. So I would request you all to keep me in your prayers as much as you can. No one knows when one of it might get accepted!”

People who knew Shabir, spoke of her bravery and resilience as she fought her battle.

Rest in peace, Mahnoor.


https://tribune.com.pk/story/132036...r-old-lums-students-final-post-battle-cancer/
 
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That's sad. I lost someone to Cancer, who was just a little older. It's truly gut-wrenching.
 
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I have sympathies for the family of departed soul...but how media is reacting on it is just insane.. Why its been highlighted that she was a LUMS student ?? Why the name of the university is roaring ??? Why can't we only take her a young girl just ?

@Morse_Code @Hell hound @Mentee @Zibago
People actually love to create a hype out of it.... RIP Ameen

Mahnoor’s relapse was discovered only 2 days before she was due to return to continue her studies and while last time she didn’t shed a single tear, this time she wept inconsolably. Regardless, she was admitted and she fought to her last. A cycle of chemotherapy left her depleted of her immunity and her lung contracted pneumonia. She was admitted to the ICU and then put on ventilators. She survived for 10 days then. Her lung collapsed first and then organ failure happened and finally, a cardiac arrest took her life. I know that she fought till the end for when my father excused himself when asked to sign the ventilator consent form, I got to spent minutes in private with her. I told her what was happening and that she had to fight a little longer.”

Lying there gasping for breath, she gave me a thumbs up. She fought but then the fight became too much to ask of any human being.
“What can I tell you about Mahnoor? For once I’m at a loss for words. She was like that. She could render the gushing of the river to silence. Her laughter was loud, her emotions intense, her personality extreme. Her charm was her polarity. Her laugh could set birds to flight and her temper could ebb lightening. She was smart and intuitive and before the diagnosis, she knew she had cancer and before reports, she knew she had relapsed. What can I tell you about that girl? She was magic with the frame of a fawn and the strength of ten men. She fought for what she believed and acquired everything by pursuit and not by privilege.”

She bore the burden of this infliction with grace and dancing at her cousin’s wedding she didn’t look cancer-stricken.
“She endured the side affects of treatment with ease and confidence. Her goodness and sense showed in her reclusiveness. And she was the beloved of God. She was my baby sister. Our little Mahnoor.

This day all I hear is white noise and nothing anyone says makes sense. I can only hear the rustle of poplars at Kakul road and the din din of cars. But any words of sense I can’t register. Sometimes I go to your whatsapp, hoping to catch you like I would when you wouldn’t reply. Sometimes I call your name to hear how it sounds to the ear but all I can hear is ringing. I know it’ll get better. We’ll learn to endure. Your parents are happy your suffering is over but they miss you. We all miss you. You’ve been coming to me in my dreams sometimes asking about Shahmeer and sometimes telling me to feed the fish.

I hope you’re not lonely. I hope you’ve met Abu. And I hope you’re together happily forgetting the pains you’ve both endured.
“But remember us. We’re sick with grief. Your parents are sick with grief but they’re trying to be brave like you. You’re the bravest person I know. It’s been an honor to know you. Meri jaan. Mera bacha. Who used to come to me and talk about the things you could say only on the opioids they gave you for pain relief. When I’d tell you the way of the world you’d say ‘No sammy, I want to know what you think. What’s your opinion?’ and that made me feel so special. Mahnoor all our childhood flashes in my mind in a vague blur and when I see your friends, I feel your presence amongst them laughing with your mouth open and clapping your hands.”

I wish you could know how the entire world took your story so personally and wept for you.
“I wish you could know how much you’re loved. I wish you could tell Shireen that it’s okay. That she’s still a hero for giving you her cells. I wish you could tell Daud and Ismail how brave they are. And I wish you could kiss baba and ami goodbye. Your Versace noir still lingers in the air. It’s a smell we’ll never forget. I wish you could tell Ami you’ll tell her every little thing that bothers you and not bear in silence. I wish you could tell Yousaf our suicide squad is still intact but most of all, I wish you know how special and beautiful and magical you are.

Shahmeer asks about you every night and he still prays you’ll get better. I don’t know how to tell him his favorite is gone. I will miss our late night movies and foodpanda. I love you my dearest, darling. You’re my child. I wish you could still root for Tender Heart. Your friends come to see you every day. And they came to say goodbye. Like we all did. I guess it’s goodbye. You’ll forever live in our hearts. I wish we meet again someday.”

Mahnoor, wherever you are, I hope you’re happy and peaceful.“Snuggling with me under the blankets you told me you didn’t want to die but you’ve left nothing incomplete. But there is one dream that you dreamt the past one year, of a cancer foundation to fund treatment of poor cancer patients and we’ll see that to completion. I promise we’ll see that many cancer patients have the privilege that you did. We’ll never forget. Please meri jaan, don’t ever forget.”

That were the words of her sister..
 
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