The story of Mohammad Hasan and his mother, Sharmin Akter, is a heartbreaking yet deeply inspiring testament to the power of maternal love, resilience in the face of impossible odds, and the life-saving role of human kindness. In the small, struggling village of Laotara, southwestern Bangladesh, the journey to save Hasan—the baby boy whose head had tragically swollen to twice its natural size—became a fragile beacon of hope.

The Unnamed Agony of Poverty

Mohammad Hasan was born a healthy baby, the joy of his 19-year-old mother, Sharmin Akter. But their happiness was cruelly brief. Just two weeks after his birth, Sharmin watched in horror as her son’s head began to swell dramatically. A devastating illness struck without warning, turning her precious child into a heavy burden that the young, single mother had to bear alone.

Given their severe financial hardship, taking Hasan to a hospital with the specialized facilities needed for his treatment was an impossible dream. Sharmin’s words conveyed a deep despair: “After his head started to grow strangely big and I worried to see him… we took him to the local doctor in our village but due to our financial condition we were not able to take him to any good doctor.”

To compound her tragedy, Sharmin was abandoned by her husband, who cruelly blamed her for Hasan’s condition. Forsaken and destitute, Sharmin returned to live with her father. The young mother’s life seemed to have fallen into an abyss, her fear for her son’s life mingling with the crushing weight of loneliness and poverty.

The Miracle of Compassion

Just as Sharmin seemed to be running out of hope, an unexpected light appeared. The devastating story of Mohammad Hasan was picked up and covered by a local journalist. The compassion of the wider community opened a door that Sharmin could never have accessed on her own.

Following the media coverage, Hasan was finally referred to the National Institute of Neurosciences Hospital in Dhaka—a specialized medical facility where he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition often referred to as “water on the brain.”

Hydrocephalus is a condition involving the excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). While CSF normally protects the brain and removes waste, when its drainage is insufficient, it builds up pressure. In young children, whose skull plates have not yet hardened and fused, this pressure causes the head to swell dramatically. Untreated, hydrocephalus can lead to severe long-term complications and even death.

New Hope Through Surgery
In Dhaka, Mohammad Hasan was placed under the care of Doctor Sheik Mohammad Ekramullah, the associate professor and head of Paediatric Neurosurgery. A dedicated physician with experience treating over 80 children with hydrocephalus. The presence of Dr. Ekramullah and his skilled medical team reignited the flame of hope in Sharmin’s heart.

The doctors prepared Hasan for life-saving surgery, most likely involving the placement of a shunt or an Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV)—the primary procedures used to drain excess CSF and relieve the critical pressure on the brain. For Sharmin, this was not just a surgery; it was the last chance for her son to have a normal life.

Her plea resonates with the universal depth of a mother’s love: “I want to see a cure for my son. He is my last hope.”

Sharmin’s selfless love, which persisted despite the abandonment and poverty, successfully brought her son to the brink of survival. Hasan’s story is a profound reminder of life’s fragility, yet it ultimately affirms the extraordinary power of compassion and medical intervention.

We hold hope that under the care of Dr. Ekramullah and the medical team, Mohammad Hasan will overcome this challenge and grow up healthy, proving that even in the most desperate circumstances, love and hope will always light the way.