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“Om is very interested in sports, and he spends most of his time at the grounds. That day, around 6 months ago, was no different. In the midst of playing, he’d just had a normal fall. When you have an outdoorsy child, you know they’re bound to come back home with the occasional bruises or cuts. That is exactly how Om returned home that evening, and I tended to his injuries. It was just a small wound on his knee - but in the next few days, it had spread so much that it was covering his entire knee and Om was finding it hard to even walk.” - Vaishali, mother
A small cut turned into a large open wound
For months now, Om has been limping about because of an open wound on his left leg. He sustained a small injury whilst playing, and within the next few days it had grown large enough to hamper his movements. Not only that, but even after all this time, Om will suddenly start bleeding from the dry scabs around his wound. The 7-year-old was taken to several local doctors, but none of them could figure out what it was. On consulting a surgeon, he was asked to get several tests including a sonography and an MRI, but the results were inconclusive.“Even though it was beyond our means, we had no choice but to bring him to a bigger hospital in Mumbai. There the doctor said his veins are blocked and malformed, due to which his wound has a tumour-like appearance as it is protruding out of his knee, and causing him difficulty in walking.” - Jalander, father
He needs treatment and surgery in multiple stages
Om has something called an exophytic swelling or an outward growth, on his knee, due to vascular malformation, an abnormal development of blood vessels. In order to rid him of this painful wound, he needs to undergo medical management in multiple stages.He would need peripheral angiography, followed by a procedure called sclerotherapy to treat the malformation, where medicine is injected into the blood vessels to help them shrink. Finally a surgical excision will remove the scarred tissues. This will allow the wound to heal properly and Om will be able to return to his normal life. But this multi-step treatment comes at a cost of INR 6 lakhs, which is rather difficult for his poor parents to arrange.
This father has no way to afford such an expensive treatment.
“I am a truck driver and as the sole breadwinner, I have to take care of my family’s needs, and pay rent. Every month, all my earnings are wiped out just like that. So, there was never any scope to put aside savings. Now when a medical emergency has befallen my family, I am unable to pay the bills. My child is in a lot of pain. He doesn’t show it because he knows his papa is struggling to afford his treatment - but I see it, and I feel terribly guilty. I’m afraid of the consequences if I don’t get him treated right away..." - Jalander
