A three-year-old boy from Pollachi, who was diagnosed with high-risk Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia (APML), a fast-growing and aggressive subtype of Acute Myeloid Leukemia, received life-saving treatment at G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial (GKNM) Hospital in Coimbatore, with the corporate social responsibility (CSR) support from Linde Foundation.
The boy, who is the only child of his parents, was brought to the hospital with fever and altered sensorium. He was placed on a mechanical ventilator and blood tests confirmed he was suffering from APML, a rare leukaemia that accounts for less than 1% of blood cancers diagnosed in children and adolescents.
According to the hospital, the boy also had multiple areas of bleeding in the brain, coupled with seizures, severe weakness in the left upper and lower limbs and neurological complications. The child’s condition deteriorated rapidly, requiring an emergency decompressive craniectomy – a procedure in which a bone flap from the skull is removed to relieve pressure on the brain and temporarily preserved in the subcutaneous pocket of anterior abdominal wall.
The boy underwent intensive treatment for APML, along with blood-product support and multidisciplinary care. Though the child developed a serious bloodstream fungal infection that required antifungal treatment, he gradually stabilised. He required continued rehabilitation and physiotherapy.
After the initial critical phase, the boy required multiple hospital admissions for continued oncology care, chemotherapy, bone marrow evaluation, supportive treatment and neurosurgical intervention. A cranioplasty was performed to surgically close the opening in the skull using the bone flap preserved in the subcutaneous abdominal pocket. The hospital stated that the boy, who recovered almost completely, now has normal speech and is able to walk.
The specialised treatment was far beyond the family’s financial means as the boy’s father earned about ₹10,000 per month. Linde Foundation, the CSR arm of Linde in India, supported the treatment.
Ajeitha L., consultant, Paediatric Haematology Oncology at GKNM Hospital, said the child’s case has been particularly challenging as the medical team was treating a very young child with high-risk APML while simultaneously managing severe neurological and infectious complications. His progress after going through such a critical illness has been encouraging, she said.
“We believe that true progress is measured not only by business success, but by the positive impact we create in society at large. Through meaningful partnerships and sustained commitment, we transform responsibility into action and help build stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities”, said Michael Devine, Chairman of Linde India.
Published – September 15, 2026 08:30 pm IST
