“My baby is barely a month old but has a hole in her heart.  We have just found out that she has only 24 hours to get the surgery. There is no way I can afford to save her on such short notice. Help me.” - Rajan, father.   

The mother and child were separated at birth

Rajan and Shikha’s baby girl was born on January 15th this year. Shika did not even get to hold her baby as she was whisked away to the ICU quoting complications.
 

“They told us that she has breathing trouble and needs to be in the ICU. The hospital in which she was born didn’t have the right kind of facilities and hence we had to shift her to another speciality hospital in Azamgarh. Shikha didn’t know for the longest time that her baby is not okay. ” - Rajan. 

She was born with multiple birth defects that are now killing her

The young parents didn’t get any time to celebrate the birth of their newborn. Very soon they found out that something terrible was causing their baby's breathing trouble. An echo test revealed that she not only has a hole in her heart but her arteries are also connected to the opposite ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart). This is opposite to how it is in a normal person’s heart. They brought her to Delhi in hope of better treatment.

“To our horror, this was not the only problem our baby had. She also had a severe infection in her blood that had put her life to risk. The doctors told us that unless she is cured of the infection, they can’t do the surgery. As we see our baby in the ventilator support, covered with tubes we are scared that we might lose her.” - Shikha

‘Her infections are cured now, this is the right time for the surgery but I don’t have the money'

Rajan is the only earning member who does odd jobs to support his family. His meager salary of Rs 8000 per month is just about enough but with his baby girl fighting for her life, he doesn’t know how he will afford the surgery.
 

“Since my baby was born she hasn’t been home. Shikha visits her sometimes but she is too weak from the C-section, she can’t afford to travel everyday. There have been so many days when I have gone back home to see her crying inconsolably. I can’t see my family suffering like this but how can I afford a 6 lakhs surgery? I have already spent more than a lakh, I have nothing left with me now.”  - Rajan

How you can help

The young parents have been living in the constant fear of losing their newborn. They haven’t even named her. They are praying to God every minute, hoping that they can arrange for her surgery - it is her only hope. They now have only 24 hours left.

Your contribution can help Rajan and Shikha bring back their little one home.