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“Drinking milk is very essential for a baby’s growth and development. My child is only a little over four months old, an age where he hasn’t started solids, and can survive only on milk. But my child isn’t able to drink milk properly. As his mother I cannot continue to watch him suffer like this. His liver is completely damaged and without a transplant, his days are numbered.” – Saheba Shafiq, mother.
He is only four months old, but has endured a lifetime’s suffering already
When he was born, Shamim and Saheba’s baby had a high bilirubin count. Over the next few days, he started getting high fevers frequently. Doctors gave him medicines that temporarily relieved him, but after just a month his condition was getting worse. He started getting loose motions and suffered from severe vomiting.Multiple tests were done, and recent reports confirmed that he had biliary atresia, which is a blockage in the tubes (ducts) that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder. But as he has passed 3 months, doctors let his parents know that a Kasai surgery, which involves removing the blocked bile ducts and gallbladder and replacing them with a segment of the child's own small intestine, will not be successful. He needs an urgent liver transplant to survive now.
“He is currently very weak; his eyes are yellow in colour and his body is completely pale. His tummy is swollen. He is rapidly losing weight also. All new parents look forward to their child growing up. Now we are having to watch the reverse happen – our baby is inching towards death and we can only watch helplessly.” – Shamim Akhtar, father.
A taxi driver, this father is struggling to arrange funds for his son’s transplant
Shamim and Saheba only got married a year ago and had a child immediately after. Though they were grateful and happy for this blessing, they had not prepared financially for the expenses that come with raising a child. Shamim is a taxi driver, and has unstable earnings – some months he is able to earn enough to fulfil all the needs of his family, while other months are hard. Despite all the challenges, he was looking forward to saving up for his child’s future when his diagnosis came as a shock to him – he is both mentally and financially drained now.
“My wife can be my son’s donor and give him a part of her liver. We are ready to do anything to make sure that he survives. But the problem is funds. No matter what I do, I’ll never be able to arrange the huge sum required for his transplant. Please help us. Time is running out, and our child is critical.” - Shamim
It is only with your kind help that these poor parents can save their child before it is too late. Click here to contribute.
Identity of the child is protected in adherence to government guidelines.
Identity of the child is protected in adherence to government guidelines.
