"His life is being temporarily sustained with the ventilator support. If his oxygen level comes down again, we'll lose him forever. He needs an open heart surgery at the earliest and I have already exhausted everything I had. We are desperately waiting for help." - Venkatesan, father.

The baby is in ventilator support for the past 20 days

Baby Abhishek had breathing issues when he was born but it subsided within a month. Venkatesan and Vinitha did not go for further check ups because he grew up active and did not have any problems. A few days back, he suddenly got severe breathing trouble. His parents rushed him to CMC Vellore from their home town, Tiruvannamalai. He was immediately taken to ICU and was kept in ventilator support for 8 days. They found out that he has Patent ductus arteriosus, an opening between two blood vessels leading from the heart. Unfortunately, for him the symptoms showed up very late. They were asked to take him to a hospital in Chennai for immediate surgery.

"We came in an ambulance with all the tubes fitted around him. He didn't open his eyes, I was blaming myself for all this. He had just began to crawl and started calling us 'Amma' 'Appa'. We never imagined that he would have something serious like this." - Vinitha.

When they finally reached Chennai, he got severe pneumonia and viral infections

When they came to Chennai, he got ventilator associated pneumonia,  a type of lung infection that occurs in people who are on breathing machines. It is a major source of increased illness and death. He also got severe infections in his body due to which he became unfit for the surgery. He continued to be in ventilator support and was treated for the same. His infections are now in control but his oxygen levels are dropping down and any further delay in the surgery would cost his life.

"My wife and I are not leaving his side even for a minute, we fear these might be our last moments with him. We know that only few hours are left for the surgery but all we can do is to hold his hands and cry helplessly." - Venkatesan.

I do not have anything left with me, how can I arrange 6 lakh within few hours?

Venkatesan works in poultry farm and earns Rs 10,000 per month. He has 2 children and managed to take care of his family with this income. In these 20 days he has spent nearly 1.5 lakhs by borrowing from his friends and relatives. He has not been able to go to work and was completely dependent on others even for food. He needs 6 lakh for the surgery and he has absolutely no means to arrange for it without your help.

This 10-month-old baby has one last chance of survival, without your help his heart will stop beating