Help bring Palliative Care to Indonesia's children

On this Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Bagas’s story is a reminder that children with cancer need more than treatment. They need round-the-clock care and comprehensive support, and importantly, people who can stand beside them and their families throughout the journey - especially at home. Because, the need for care does not end at the hospital.

Rachel House helps bring care closer to children and their families, supporting them at home through the physical, emotional and practical challenges that come with a serious illness.

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When Bagas* could no longer speak for himself, his older brother, Chikal*, became his voice.

At 12, Bagas is the youngest of three siblings and has been living with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-cell ALL) since 2025. Today, much of his time is spent being cared for at home, where even simple things such as eating, drinking and walking require assistance.

His family’s journey has been made more difficult by financial hardship. His father works as a daily laborer, while his mother has become Bagas’s main caregiver. His older sister works as a live-in household assistant; she helps the family financially when she can, but she rarely comes home. At just 21, Chikal has taken on much of the responsibility of helping his family navigate Bagas’s treatment and feels strongly that he needs to be involved in the care decisions for his brother.

In June 2025, after months of fluctuating fever with odd bruisings and pain in his legs, Bagas received the diagnosis of ALL. He then underwent a cycle of chemotherapy. But treatment was interrupted due to challenging situations at home. For Bagas, those were several happy months where life returned to something resembling an ordinary childhood—going to school, playing with friends in the neighbourhood and spending precious time with his family.

Sadly, in March this year,  the much-dreaded symptoms returned. This time, his condition deteriorated rapidly, with seizures, confusion, hallucinations, and reduced consciousness. At times, even responding to his mother’s voice seems like a distant past. His blurred vision makes eating and drinking difficult, and although he is able to  move his limbs, he can no longer walk.

When Help Arrived In The Darkest Hours

As his condition worsened and he became increasingly dependent on his family for daily care, his oncologist determined that Bagas and family needed support at home. This was when Rachel House entered their lives in August, where the focus of care shifted to helping Bagas live as comfortably as possible, and providing support for his family. Rachel House’s team of palliative care nurses visits  Bagas at home to manage his symptoms, such as seizures and pain, and support the family emotionally as they navigate this worrying time. 

The support also extends into the family’s daily life. As Bagas spends more time in bed and has become increasingly dependent, Rachel House provides essential supplies such as diapers and high-nutrient milk to support his nutritional needs. The team also equips his parents and Chikal with skills and information to help them understand Bagas' condition & his needs, to allow them to better manage his care and feel more confident in making decisions on his behalf.

Bagas and his mother are currently staying at a cancer shelter near the Dharmais Cancer Hospital in the capital city Jakarta, hundreds of miles away from the rest of their family in Bogor. Every two weeks, Chikal would make the journey to Jakarta by train to be with them. He accompanies Bagas to hospital visits, speaks with the doctors, helps with the administrative matters and makes sure he understands how to best care for his brother. Sometimes, he would travel to Jakarta even before an appointment is scheduled, simply because he wants to be with Bagas. When he does, he sleeps at a nearby mosque so he can stay close to his brother for as long as possible.

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

Chikal and Bagas are close. And as Bagas has become less able to speak for himself, his older brother has become his advocate.

It is a responsibility that changes what it means to simply be an older brother.  At 21, Chikal is carrying the weight of his parents, asking the hard questions at the hospital and making sure Bagas' needs are always heard; and balancing his deep love for his brother with doing right by him. 

His parents hope that Bagas will be able to resume chemotherapy treatment, regain consciousness and recover from leukemia. For Chikal, advocating for Bagas means making sure he has the best quality of life, while keeping his parents' hope alive. And alongside him, Rachel House provides Chikal with information he needs to advocate for his brother, continues to stand with the family, providing care, practical support and guidance through this incredibly difficult time.

But Bagas is not the only child facing a serious illness.

We need your support to ensure other children like Bagas has access to palliative care and support at home. Your contribution can help provide compassionate care, essential supplies and the support families need to face these difficult journeys together.

Help Rachel House make sure that children like Bagas are heard, cared for and never left to face serious illnesses alone.


*names changed for privacy

It has been a family joke - that most people new to the family would mistake Fahmi and his brother as twins. And yet, they are actually  5 years apart. Because of the immunity-compromised illness Fahmi has been battling since birth, his body is relatively small for a boy his age.

Fahmi lives in a household of three, sharing his days with his younger brother and their elderly grandmother, who is the sole provider for the family. To support them, his grandmother earns a modest and unpredictable income working as a laundry laborer.

For a long time, Fahmi’s illness combined with the family’s challenging financial situation cast a heavy shadow over their daily life.

Before receiving care from Rachel House, Fahmi was constantly plagued by persistent diarrhea and recurring fevers. His body was weak, and his energy was limited.

Never one to give up easily, Fahmi would push through his condition to continue going to school, even though he would tire out much faster than his peers. Simply climbing the stairs to reach his classroom on the second floor was enough to leave him completely exhausted.

A Journey To Recovery

The turning point in Fahmi’s life began when Rachel House’s nurses entered their lives.

The journey began with Nurse Zakky who visited weekly, caring not only for Fahmi’s physical wellbeing - managing the symptoms that had prevented him from participating in life as a 13-year old boy; importantly, Nurse Zakky’s presence also helped uplift Fahmi’s family as he began to methodically assess every areas of support Fahmi and his family needed

What made Fahmi’s journey remarkable was his profound sense of responsibility toward his own health.

For a patient managing a vulnerable immunity and chronic condition like Fahmi’s HIV, strict adherence to medication can be a lifelong necessity. While many children require constant pushing and prodding to take their medication, Fahmi understands his condition and genuinely wants to get better.

He became resolutely disciplined, managing his own medication schedules without any pressure from his family.

Reclaiming the Mat

While the climb was long and arduous, Fahmi’s discipline combined with Nurse Zakky’s dedicated presence have yielded incredible results.

Fahmi’s physical condition has vastly improved, and he has transformed into a highly active teenager.

No longer easily fatigued, he has been able to fully immerse himself once again in his greatest passion, Pencak Silat (traditional martial arts in Indonesia).

His strength has returned to the point where he recently represented his school in a regional Pencak Silat competition.

Fighting with sharp skill and newly found stamina, Fahmi fought his way to second place. Standing proudly on the podium with his medal and trophy, Fahmi proved that his spirit was never defined by his illness, but by his determination.

Why Fahmi’s Story Matters

Fahmi’s victory shows that a medical diagnosis doesn't have to define a child's future, when they have a strong network of support.

His journey illustrates how a compassionate team of palliative care nurses can turn physical vulnerability into resilience, allowing a child to just be a kid again.

Sadly, many children from low-income families continue to battle serious illnesses without access to comprehensive care.

Rachel House is dedicated to stepping into these vulnerable households, ensuring that no child is left to struggle through their illness in isolation.

How You Can Help

Your donation directly funds home-based palliative care and medical guidance, giving heavily burdened families the vital resources they need to help their children heal, regain their strength, and thrive.