When Deepa and Venkatesan, who were expecting twin babies, had gone for the 8-month scan recently to a clinic in their hometown of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, the doctors gave them the most shocking news. “My heart started beating fast and my blood pressure went high when they told me that one of my babies will not survive and that the other had some blockage in the urinary tract,” reminisces Deepa, adding, “They told us that we would have to go to Chennai immediately and deliver the only surviving child as he/she will not stay alive for long inside my uterus.”



The heavily pregnant mother and distressed father got on a rickety crowded bus immediately (as they did not have money to arrange a private vehicle) to Chennai, praying that nothing should happen to their baby on the way. Their prayers were answered; they were able to get to Chennai safely and rushed to a hospital where Deepa gave birth via C-section to a premature baby boy on admission. Their baby survived but suffered so many complications, including kidney damage and needs surgery immediately. His poor parents are struggling to pay for his medicines, and the surgery is completely out of their reach.

The little fighter is holding on now, but will not survive without a surgery

Venkatesan and Deepa’s premature baby boy was born at 32 weeks of gestation and had severe respiratory issues, in addition to being severely underweight. He is on ventilator support and is being administered antibiotics for a slight lung infection. He was diagnosed with Lower Urinary Tract Obstruction, a condition where the baby is not able to pass urine because of a blockage in the urethra or the tube leading from the bladder to outside of the urinary tract. Due to this condition, he had suffered some kidney damage, which can only be fixed through an urgent surgery. Without it, the baby’s condition may worsen, causing even death in the worst cases.

Stuck in a strange city with no job and no help, these parents fear they might lose their baby boy

Ever since their baby’s birth, both Deepa and Venkatesan have been struggling in different ways. Deepa longs to hold her son close to her and breastfeed him, but the best she can do is touch him and stroke her fingers against his shrivelled skin. Venkatesan, who used to work as a farmer cum daily wager back home for Rs 300 a day, is now unemployed and running out of both hope and money. Despite borrowing heavily from friends and close ones, he has only been able to pay for the baby’s medicines now (Rs 35,000). He sleeps on the hospital floor while his wife stays in the corridor right outside the neonatal ICU where their son is recovering.  

“My wife cannot even walk properly after the C-section as her wounds have not healed, but she’s always standing next to the baby, holding his little fingers and whispering to him that he’ll be alright. It gives me chills thinking what agony we would have to go through if we are not able to take him back home alive,”-Venkatesan.

How you can help

Venkatesan and Deepa’s premature baby boy has an obstruction in his urinary tract that has in turn caused kidney damage. The poor baby needs a surgery in 24 hours before his condition becomes more complicated and causes irreversible damage. Away from their hometown without income, his poor parents cannot afford to save him.

Your kind contribution can help save this premature baby boy’s life