Patiently borne

"I am the oldest MS patient alive,” claims 54-year-old Cawsi Randeria who was diagnosed with MS at the age of 19 when he was studying for his BCom. He had gone on a trip to Bihar when foggy vision one night, visit to an ophthalmologist the next morning, subsequent consultation with a neurophysi­cian, and some EEG (electroencephalogram) and lumbar puncture tests later it was confirmed that he was suffering from MS.

Cawsi Randeria: stoic suffering

As the disease progressed he was fully paralyzed on the left side "but thanks to the support of my family I came out of it.” He may not drive a car now but apart from the occasional tremor of the left hand he manages to lead a fairly normal life. Working as an accounts clerk with Voltas International, he gives credit to his "most considerate employers,” particularly then managing director A. H. Tobacowala (who was instrumental in starting MSSI) for handing him an appointment letter the day his father retired from ITC. "Coming to work for Voltas/Tatas gives me pleasure,” maintains Randeria who is permitted to leave office on days he does not feel well.

Living at Dadar Parsi Colony with his wife Afsenah who is a supervisor at the Maneckji Cooper School and son who is aspiring to be an architect he can well remember that "getting married was a Herculean task.” He is particularly grateful to Dr Wadia who organized a meeting between his parents and prospective inlaws at his consulting room to convince them "to take a chance” on the rationale that there is no knowing when either partner may take ill even after marriage.

A founder member of MSSI, Randeria declares, "Most MS patients are Parsis… there is no infusion of fresh blood in the community.” His statement was supported by Wadia who has made an intensive study of MS patients in India: "The prevalence of the disease (in India) is highest amongst Parsis — 25/100,000.” Despite having settled in India since the last 1,300 years the genetic traits amongst the community are "comparable to the population in Iran.”