When Angelica found that her 1-year-old baby, John is suffering from life-threatening liver disease, she didn’t break down. She knew she had to fight. What she didn’t know was that the fight was going to be this tough. Angelica lives with her husband, Luis and her baby in the Philippines. A few months after their son was diagnosed, they travelled to India for affordable treatment. They neither know the country or anybody here. The family’s battle for the past 8 months has been very tough, but they did not give up. In addition to working as a clerk in a small company in the Philippines, Luis also resorted to selling t-shirts for additional income. But that is not enough to fund their son's treatment.  

What they believed was jaundice turned out to be a deadly disease

When baby John was just 8 months old, he started suffering from jaundice which hasn’t subsided till date. After months of visiting doctors and several tests, they found that he is suffering from biliary atresia, a deadly liver disease in which the bile ducts are narrow or absent. Months went by before the doctors could find a reason behind persistent jaundice. This has only made his condition worse.

“In the Philippines, the cost of getting a liver transplant is very high. When we came to India with the help of an organization that tries to help babies with liver diseases, we found that the expenses in India are comparatively lesser. Luis and I found hope.”

Without money, Baby John will not be able to get a life-saving transplant

Baby John’s condition is gradually deteriorating. From the past days, the size of his belly has grown considerably due to the severity of his condition. Fluid gets accumulated in his belly, and it needs to be drained often. He needs an urgent liver transplant. Baby John’s father, Luis is ready to donate a part of his liver to save his baby. The only thing standing in the way is money.

Luis works as a clerk in a small warehouse. Medicines that John requires on a daily basis are so expensive that he sometimes has to borrow heavily from friends to buy them. Luis has been working double shifts to afford his baby’s treatment. Right now, Angelica and Luis don’t have the money to travel to India again. They are selling t-shirts and trying very hard to seek help from their friends and relatives to come to India. The cost required for baby John’s liver transplant is Rs 15 lakhs. Baby John is running out of time and his parents need urgent help to save him.

How you can help

 Baby John’s liver has failed completely and he is running out of time. The parents cannot even afford to come to India, let alone the huge costs of the liver transplant.