“Whenever I sit beside my 13-year-old, he tells me, ‘I can’t do this anymore Ma! Everything hurts so much.’ My son, Arindam has been fighting his kidney disease since he was 4 a year old child. After all these years, he has become tired of medicines and dialysis. His swelled up body due to his failing kidneys has left him scarred. He doesn’t go out of the house because other children make fun of him. He just sits inside the house doing nothing. Every day seeing him suffer so much has left my heart broken,” - Ruma, Arindam’s mother.

Diagnosed with kidney failure at just 4 years old, Arindam has been struggling

When Arindam was just 4 years old, he suddenly had a terrible fever and his body started to swell up. After going to several doctors, they found out that he has renal failure, a condition in which the kidneys get damaged. Now after all these years, his kidneys are completely damaged and he needs to undergo a kidney transplantation as soon as possible.

Despite being on medications for long, Arindam did not get any relief

Arindam doesn’t know a life without medicines.  He has been on a high dosage of medicines so that his damaged kidneys don’t kill him. But his sickness had never been a hindrance for his education. He tried everything any other child would, he studied and he played. He never wanted to feel ‘sick’ but the poor child was never out of pain all these years.

“He tried his best to be an active child until his condition became worse last year. Because of this deteriorating condition, I can hardly recognize my own child. He cries all day long and refuses to eat everything that I give him. He hardly talks to anybody now. I have been trying to  help him for all these years. But this time, it's the last chance. I know if we fail to afford the surgery, I will definitely lose him.”- Ruma

After Ruma stopped working, Arindam’s treatment became even more difficult

Arindam’s father, Uttam is a fisherman in Jaynagar, West Bengal. His mother, Ruma worked as a domestic help in the area until a year ago. After Arindam fell terribly ill, she had to stop going to work to take care of her son. With just Uttam’s meager income, it is very difficult to feed the family and take care of his son.

Uttam earns Rs 5000 a month if he is able to work regularly. Uttam and Ruma have to spend Rs 1000 on their son’s medicines every week. They have to borrow money almost every month, from friends and relatives for Arindam’s medicines. Uttam is prepared to donate his kidneys to save his son’s life. But, now arranging Rs 9 lakhs for his transplant is impossible for them. 

How you can help

Arindam has been suffering from kidney failure for the past 9 years. Despite being on medicines and dialysis, his body is slowly giving up. He needs an urgent kidney transplant to survive now. His father is ready to donate the kidney and the only thing delaying his transplant is their poverty.