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“Since the day we found out about his condition, I have been restless and anxious. At times, I wake up in the middle of the night just to check that he’s still breathing. He's so small and fragile, and can barely even utter a word. We long to hear him call us ‘mummy’ and ‘papa,’ but it seems impossible right now...” - Asawari, mother
He was unable to swallow food or drinks properly
Up until he turned 7 months old, Malhar was able to drink milk and liquids quite easily. Just as he was transitioning into eating semi-solids and solids, problems arose. He was unable to swallow any food and would spit everything back out.“It wasn’t just the food. Now, whatever he drank would also come back out of his mouth, and we just couldn’t figure out why. At first we thought he might have been picky… but when he started to lose weight at an alarming pace, we knew it was something else. A local doctor told us that our son has a birth defect, where his food pipe is constricted and not properly developed.” - Ishwar, father
His food pipe is underdeveloped, and he had severe chest congestion
1-year-old Malhar was diagnosed with Congenital Esophageal Stenosis, a condition that has caused an abnormal narrowing of his esophagus/food pipe. In Malhar’s case, the narrowed tube doesn’t allow food or drinks to pass through.“Because of his condition, he gradually developed a severe chest congestion and deep, hacking coughs. He also received treatment for that, and is doing much better now. He’s gone back to normal, but the struggle continues as he is still unable to eat a decent amount of food. He’s so small, and weighs only 6.5 kgs, which is too little for his age.” - Asawari
He needs immediate surgery, but it is too expensive for his parents to afford
Unable to eat or drink anything, little Malhar depends on fluids and saline to keep him replenished. He needs to undergo emergency surgery to rectify his narrow esophagus, but it costs an exorbitant sum of INR 14 lakh, which is beyond what his parents can bear.Ishwar makes a living as a worker at a cotton mill. He is the sole breadwinner of the family, while Asawari is a housewife. The family’s current income is barely sufficient to keep them afloat. In this state, they cannot meet the expenses for their son’s pricey surgical procedure.
“I am a poor man from a small village. With much difficulty, I have been able to spend about 25,000 rupees, and that was all I had. I don’t have anything left now. It is so terrifying - the thought that I could lose my child to this… Why is he having to suffer so much before he’s even had the chance to see the world? He needs this surgery - it is the only thing that can rid him of his suffering. But I’m failing to afford it.” - Ishwar
Ishwar and Asawari are in dire need of your help. This surgery is the only way that their baby boy can live a normal life, and you can make it happen with your contributions.
