“Being married for 6 years, our only wish was to start a family together. It was when we were at our lowest, that our prayers were finally answered. Amid the pandemic that hit us hard, the news of my pregnancy came as a newfound hope and all our worries disappeared, just like that. Then, we learned that we were having twins and our joys doubled. But right now, the future that we dreamed of, seems bleak…” - Akhila, mother

She went into labour in her 7 month of pregnancy

Akhila was 7 months along in her pregnancy, when her water broke unexpectedly, and she had to be rushed to the hospital. It was 2:00 am on a Monday morning, but the doctors insisted that she undergo an emergency c-section, or the babies’ lives could be at risk. With her due date still over 2 months away, Akhila gave birth to two premature baby boys.

“One minute I was in deep sleep, and the next, my wife was shaking me awake, panicking over her water breaking earlier than anticipated. She was originally due in December, and we had been waiting eagerly for the months to pass. Now, we are forced to watch our babies through a glass window, hooked to all these machines that are keeping them alive. We haven’t even been able to hold them in our arms yet...” - Vijay, father

They cannot even breathe without a machines

Akhila and Vijay’s baby boys were born prematurely, far too small and fragile as compared to full-term newborns. Due to their underdeveloped lungs, they were in respiratory distress and had to be shifted to the NICU, where they were put on ventilator support.

“Throughout my pregnancy I had been extremely careful. I followed all of the doctor's advice in terms of my diet and my medication. I made sure to not stress myself or do anything that could compromise my babies’ health. Even at my prenatal appointments they assured me that my babies were doing so well. Now, I can’t help but think I may have gone wrong somewhere. I don’t know how it came down to this…” - Akhila

Only prolonged NICU care can save them, but these parents can’t afford it

The babies need to remain in the NICU for at least 2 months to make a full recovery. But the medical expenses are beyond their parents' means of affording. Vijay is sole breadwinner in the family, and makes a living by operating men’s hostels in Chennai. But during the lockdown, Vijay lost several of his tenants, thereby cutting off his source of income. To keep his children’s treatment going, he borrowed from financial institutions and even his relatives and friends. Now, he has nothing left, and is struggling to even pay off the outstanding bills.

“I am in a very desperate predicament now. 80,000 rupees is all I have in my pocket, which is nowhere close to the 24.5 lakhs that I need for my children’s treatment. Although they’ve been with us for a few days, we cannot imagine a life without our two little miracles. They are fighting for every breath they take, while I’m failing to keep my promise of giving them a good life. But how will I save them with no money?” - Vijay

Vijay and Akhila are in need of your help to save their babies. With all their resources exhausted, they've got their hands tied. Your contributions can keep their babies' treatment going and fulfil their dream of being a happy family.