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“I haven’t been able to sleep soundly for months now. Night after night, I stay awake beside my ailing baby. She’s in so much pain that she cries her little lungs out. Even though she’s on treatment, her symptoms haven’t eased, and her stomach is still swollen. I can’t bear to see her suffer like this, because it reminds me of the time we lost our firstborn son. I can’t let that happen to my daughter - I won’t survive losing her…” - Aarti, mother
They didn’t realise that she was showing symptoms of a dangerous disease
Their little baby girl had been showing bizarre symptoms for most of the first 6 months following her birth. She had a hearty appetite, however she would pass white stools and yellow urine. Further, her stomach had also ballooned out. But her parents, who aren’t medically knowledgeable beyond common fevers and colds had no idea that these were signs of a palpable disease.“Two weeks ago, we took her to the doctor for a check-up and there we found out that her liver is swollen. We thought medicines would be enough to help her recover, but then we were referred to a specialist, who asked us to hospitalise her immediately. She had to get multiple tests, and finally we learned that she had a liver problem - one I had never even heard of in my life!” - Sharad , father
They are all too familiar with the pain of losing a child
She was diagnosed with extrahepatic biliary atresia, where one or more bile ducts are abnormally narrow, blocked or absent. This condition usually leads to liver failure, and timely diagnosis along with early medical intervention can help avoid it. However in this little one’s case, the condition was detected at a much later stage, when her liver was already on the verge of failure.“The doctor told us that medicines alone will not save her. She needs a liver transplant at the earliest; that is the only way she can survive. I am barely in the position to buy her medicines, how would I afford a procedure costing lakhs of rupees? I keep beating myself up for neglecting her symptoms now. Had I taken her to the doctor in time - had we known about it earlier, we could have done something sooner. I can’t watch another child of mine suffer and die right in front of my eyes…” - Sharad4 years ago, Sharad and Aarti experienced the tragic loss of their son, who was only a few months old at the time. He was brought to the hospital after he starting having palpitations and breathing troubles, and passed away just 2 hours later. To this day, these parents have no idea as to what claimed their son’s life. But seeing their daughter fall ill gave them an eerie sense of deja vu, and they couldn’t let her suffer the same fate as her brother.
This family thinks they’re destined to experience only loss and grief
“It feels like my family is destined to experience only loss and grief. A few years ago, I lost my grandmother, and then my son, and even my father because I didn’t have the money to pay for their treatment. I can’t let history repeat itself, but I don’t even have a fixed income. How am I supposed to get my daughter this transplant? So far the money I have spent on paying off her medical bills has come from mortgaging my motorbike, and my relatives, who were willing to help. I have nothing left.” - Sharad
Their baby's only hope for survival is a liver transplant that will cost INR 30 lakh, an amount her parents couldn’t possibly arrange in such a short frame of time. Sharad had a temporary gig as a driver, but was laid off recently for missing work amid his daughter’s innumerable hospital visits. Now he works part-time at a carwash, earning a meagre salary that is barely enough to meet his and his family’s basic needs.
Charity No : 319201431163
