Nothing is going to pin him down, nothing will keep him static, he may fall over many hurdles but he is going to pick himself up and keep going on. This is Biswajit– a former sponsored youth, a below-knee amputee and a bundle of positive energy.

What could be more shocking to a nineteen year old who loves playing soccer and cycling to be told that he would have to choose between his life or limb?  Little did he think that the pain that he often complained of in his left ankle and the eventual swelling would actually be malignant and put his life in danger. The news of his illness was also devastating for his family, who for the first time was worried about how to meet the huge financial expenditure of the treatment as he was no longer a sponsored youth. They tried meeting the medical expenses on their own, and accumulated staggering debts, and realizing that they were on the verge of losing their son to cancer due to lack of proper treatment then appealed to Children International for help.

Children International stepped in with financial help, but that did not mean the end of worries for Biswajit or his family. Soon the doctors recommended surgery and removal of a part of his left leg to prevent the spread of cancer. This was a tough choice for a nineteen year old to make but as Biswajit says "Sometimes you have to make hard choices in your life," "And this is one of them”. Luckily for Biswajit, the surgery saved his life and after going through a series of chemotherapy the doctors declared him fit and cancer free.

Then started the tedious process of rehabilitation and picking up the threads of his life before becoming an amputee. Learning to walk all over again was difficult but Biswajit dealt with it differently. "I made sure not to feel sorry for myself, and I didn't let others feel sorry for me either.” After learning to walk again, it was difficult to take the firs steps outside his house, but that he did that too, and has now gone back to college, reconnected with his old friends and what is amazing,  is actually cycling again.

Between attending college and spending time with friends, Biswajit also makes time to speak to the youth in his locality and try to encourage them to make the most of the opportunities that they have rather than feeling sorry for themselves. He hopes to continue speaking to different groups and telling his story so that it makes a difference in somebody’s life.

Biswajit plans on completing his degree and living a productive life in the future, despite his prosthesis. It is much like learning to cycle – you keep picking yourself up and putting your self back on the seat after each fall, to master the art", says Biswajit.

His family and he have had to deal with a number of adversities over the last year, but because of his positive thinking, he's been able to move ahead and continue living his life even while he awaits painful plastic surgery in the years ahead.
P.S. He is planning to play a soccer match soon too!