"I dreamed of becoming a military officer" - the story of 17-year-old Azizbek who fought cancer
Azizbek Rahimov from Ohangaron dreamed as a child of becoming a military officer and winning a world boxing championship. However, bone cancer diagnosed at the age of 12 completely changed his life. Having endured chemotherapy treatments, the risk of losing his leg, and a long recovery process, today the teenager is studying at a technical college, drawing, and teaching his younger brother the skills he learned in an IT course.
“I dreamed of becoming a soldier” — the story of 17-year-old Azizbek who fought cancer
During the interview, Azizbek spoke about his childhood dreams, his struggle with illness, and the people who encouraged him during difficult days.
“They told me I might lose my leg”
Azizbek has been interested in sports since childhood. He did boxing and wanted to raise the flag of Uzbekistan high in international competitions, and in the future, serve in the ranks of the National Guard.
“My childhood dream was to be a defender of the motherland. I wanted to be a soldier, to work in the National Guard. I dreamed of becoming a world boxing champion and raising our country's flag high,” he says.
However, when Azizbek was 12 years old, a swelling appeared below his knee. Initial examinations explained this as bone growth, and that area was operated on. Three months later, that same part began to turn blue.
Subsequent tests diagnosed Azizbek with osteosarcoma — bone cancer. After that, hospital treatments, chemotherapy, and a long healing process began.
“I received chemotherapy five times at the Republican Oncology Center. The doctors said an urgent surgical operation needed to be performed. I could have even lost my leg. Hearing these words, we fell into despair,” Azizbek recalls.
His solace — drawing
During the treatment period, the "Sen Kuchlisan" (You Are Strong) team, along with his parents, provided mental support to Azizbek. They involved the teenager in drawing and put his paintings up for auction.
Painting holds a special place in Azizbek's life today as well. According to his mother, her son puts his inner experiences and the things he wants to say onto paper.
In the struggle against the illness, one of the biggest supports for Azizbek was his family. When asked what life means to him, he also mentions his loved ones first and foremost.
“Life for me is the happiness of my parents, the joy of my family. These come in first place. When I fell ill, my parents were by my side,” says Azizbek.
“Now he is commuting to his studies”
Azizbek's mother is glad that her son's condition has improved. According to her, the swelling during treatment has gone down. The family continues regular medical check-ups.
“When he was sick, my son's face was swollen and puffed up. His current condition is much better; the swollen areas have subsided. Every two or three or six months we undergo check-ups and get X-rays. Currently, he is studying in the second year of a technical college. He goes back and forth to his studies,” says his mother.
Azizbek also teaches what he learns to his younger brother. The older brother's interests have also made the younger child interested in the field of computers and information technology.
“My second child is also affectionate toward his older brother. He also wants to learn computers and the IT field like his brother. His brother is currently teaching him what he knows,” says the mother.