“My only son Karan is just 25. He had finished his BBA, found a job, and was supporting us with so much pride. But now, he lies in the ICU with tubes all over his body. He can’t speak very well with tubes covering his nose and mouth but when he can, he says only three words to me - 'Papa mujhe bachao'. As his father, I feel helpless.” — Virendra, father

One minute he was vomiting, and the next he was on the ventilator fighting for his life

It all began in June, when Karan suddenly developed severe stomach pain, vomiting, and restlessness. At first, his family thought it might be indigestion or weakness from eating at odd hours. But within days, his health collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors revealed the shocking diagnosis: Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis. This is a life-threatening condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed and its tissue starts dying. It triggers a chain reaction inside the body like severe infections, organ failure, and unbearable pain. In Karan’s case, the disease spread quickly, damaging his lungs and leaving him on a ventilator for nearly a month.

“For almost a month, I watched my son’s chest rise and fall with machines, not knowing if he would survive the night. Today, he has crossed that stage but he has lost almost 35 kg and is very weak. He continues to battle multiple complications such as lung failure, blood clots, and severe weakness. He is losing his ability to walk and talk. As a father, nothing prepares you for this situation.” — Virendra, father

‘I hide the truth about his condition from his mother because she cannot bear to hear it’

Karan’s mother Anupama prays for her son every day from their home in Kanpur. But she herself is unwell, living with a stent in her brain after years of suffering tuberculosis. Virendra has not told her how serious their son’s condition is, fearing that the shock will harm her too.

“She calls me every morning asking if he smiled, if he ate. I lie to her, saying he is getting better. The truth would crush her. I carry this burden alone.” — Virendra

‘I have sold everything I had, and have no income now. How will I save my son?’

Karan's small insurance policy ran out within just five days of admission. After that, Virendra sold his farmland, borrowed from relatives, and took loans. All their savings are gone. With no property or assets left, the daily hospital bills feel like a mountain no father can climb. Now, neither father nor son has any income. Virendra, who had an ordinary private job, had to stop working to stay by Karan’s side in the hospital, while Karan himself, once supporting the family, now lies in bed fighting for his life.

“Every day, I sit by his bedside, praying he survives. Every night, I wonder how I will pay the next day’s bill. I have nothing left to sell and people tell me his life is over, but I cannot give up on my only son. He is our pride, our strength, our everything. Please help me save him. Your kindness can give him a second chance at life.” — Virendra

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