Little Vikkramathithan ached to study. But when he went to school, he would simply sleep in one corner of the classroom - the tablets that kept him alive made him drowsy. He ached to wear nice clothes like kids his age. But now he sits quietly in a shirt many sizes larger to accommodate his bloated stomach. He can’t walk for long - so, there’s no question of playing. Just moments after he starts eating, he soils his clothes and is rushed to the toilet.

A deadly liver disease has stolen this 7-year-old’s smiles and left him helpless. An urgent liver transplant can save him. But his parents need your help.

As a baby, he never crawled, afraid his stomach would hurt

He was 2 years old, when he cried unstoppably, one day. Even after an injection from the village doctor, little Vikkramathithan wouldn’t stop crying.

“That was when we first saw that his stomach was slightly swollen. It was hard…like a rock. He was late to reach his milestones. He had been slow to roll over, and had never tried crawling. He’d cry if we rolled him on his stomach. We never knew his stomach had been hurting all this while. Scans and tests were run, and while we waited for the results, he was given pills to keep him strong!” – Gopalakrishnan

Diagnosed with deadly liver disease, they were told he wouldn’t survive

After 3 months, the reports came in and little Vikramathithan was diagnosed with chronic liver disease. The parents were in agony.

“They said only a surgery could cure his condition, and that he was still too small for it. So, he was given pills. 3 pills in the morning, 4 at night, and drops in the noon. He survived on them! Years passed, and his stomach bloated so much; his limbs looked like sticks! It was 2016, and there weren’t many hospitals that treated liver diseases then. Wherever we went, they’d say he wouldn’t survive. Or, they’d ask us to make do with our other son, and just let our little boy go…” – Kasthuri, mother.

There’s hope – a liver transplant can save him, but…


Daily-wage labourers, the parents can’t dream of affording 28 lakhs

Gopalakrishnan and Kasthuri are daily-wage labourers. Together, they earn no more than Rs 7,000, a month. Over the past few years, they’ve spent over 5 lakhs on Vikkramathithan’s tests and medication. They are now struggling to save him.

“My little boy can’t even go to toilet without pain. He can’t sit down like us; he stands, to pass motion. He can’t eat, can’t sleep, can’t play or study! There’s nothing he’s able to do. This transplant can save him. It can free him from the dreadful life he’s been living, and help him start over again. Please help us…I am struggling for 2 meals a day. I can’t do this without your help!” – Gopalakrishnan.

Help this child recover from this deadly disease that's eaten away most of his childhood. Click here to contribute.