When their baby, Arsh, joined them earth side in March, Mohammed Iqbal Sheik Mehzabin realized what true happiness was. They were stoked to be parents of a beautiful baby boy, but completely oblivious and unprepared for what fate had in store for them. Arsh was born with a small visible and painful lump at the back of his head. As he grew, so did the lump and doctors diagnosed it as a brain tumour.

To get rid of this tumour, which is now the size of a fist, 3-month-old baby Arsh will need to undergo 3 surgical procedures. But his poor parents can’t afford it.

It is so painful for him, he cries endlessly

Every moment of his life, little Arsh has spent hurting and crying incessantly because of the pain and discomfort that this massive tumour has been causing.

“In my sonograms, they only told us he had a small head, and we assumed it would grow in proportion to his size along with him. We just wanted our baby to be born healthy, but then they told us our new-born had a brain tumour and all our dreams were shattered in an instant. His shrieks and cries of pain would ring in our ears and break our hearts. He is unable to even sleep unless we hold him at an angle that doesn’t put pressure on the tumour and hurt him. At only 3 months old my baby has to suffer so much. Nothing could have prepared us for this.” - Mehzabin, mother

The excessive fluid in his brain is causing his tumour to grow

Coming from a poor family, the couple couldn’t afford the expensive fee of a well-equiped hospital. But none of the local hospitals that they approached could help them. Finally, Iqbal gathered all the money he had saved up, about INR 70,000, and shifted his son to a private hospital in Nagpur, about 170 kms away from his hometown.

“The doctors at the local hospitals picked at our worst fears and told us that our baby had only 1 percent chance of survival. Yet, he’s still here with us and continues to fight for his life. There is excess fluid in Arsh’s brain that has been causing his tumour to grow in size, just like how a plant grows when you water it. The only way to get rid of it is surgery, as soon as possible, or the tumour could get worse and have adverse effects on his brain and body.” - Iqbal, father

Despite not having the money to afford his treatment, they refuse to give up

“The lack of money hasn’t deterred me in my fight to save my baby. My wife’s resilience during this difficult time is commendable, as well. Ever since we got married, she’d been taking care of my parents as if her own, and never once complained. She sees our baby as our greatest blessing and often tells me that Arsh is God’s gift to us, and come what may, it is up to us to bring him up in good faith.”

Only with your help can they save their baby

A daily wage worker at a small mechanic shop, Iqbal had begun saving up for his child’s future when he learnt he was going to be a father. But he never imagined that all of that would be exhausted in just days. Now, for the sake of their baby, Iqbal and Mehzabin eat one meal a day and sleep on the cold hospital floor beside their son.

Baby Arsh has to undergo 3 surgeries at the earliest to remove the tumour. The more it is delayed, the more it poses a risk to the infant’s life. But the surgeries are expensive, and these parents are struggling to afford the exorbitant cost of INR 18 lakhs.

Iqbal feels helpless and only you can help this desperate father save his son. Your contribution will fund Arsh’s surgeries and give him a normal life.