When Megha was a little girl, she would run to her father and climb up on his shoulders as he read the newspaper, and ask him to take her around the neighbourhood. She was so playful and active, that Jayashree and Shankar were always on their toes when she was at home. She always kept busy with school work or extracurricular activities. Now, Megha is 18 and can barely walk for a few minutes without being exhausted. She can’t sit up straight, and with each passing day, her struggle to breathe is only increasing. Over the past 4 years, her spine has bent completely to her left side. Megha needs a surgery in the next 15 days, otherwise, her heart and life are in danger.

Megha’s life changed for the worse when she became a teenager

“She was like every other child until she became a teenager. From then on, we noticed that her posture changed, and she started getting a hunch. It began with her having trouble walking long distances, but as the months went by, even small things like carrying the school bag became very difficult for her. Soon her spine started curving towards one side. We took her to five hospitals, and they all said they couldn’t help her.” - Jayashree, Megha's mother

Megha has congenital dorslumbar scoliosis, in which the spine begins to curve towards one side. It causes severe respiratory and cardiac problems, and if not treated in time, can worsen her condition beyond repair. Megha has been living with her deformed spine for years now, and the only thing that can relieve her from this pain is an urgent surgery.

Amidst all the pain, Megha continues to go to college, determined to not let her condition break her spirit

Megha is a second-year commerce student, and one day dreams of running her own business. Despite the pain and discomfort she’s in, Megha continues to go to college.  She hasn’t let the severity of her condition break her spirit, but with each passing day, even mundane activities are becoming a herculean task for her.

“One day she came back from school telling me that she wanted to have her own office someday. She's ambitious and works hard towards her goals. When she started college, she would come home and tell us all the new things she learnt that day, and I felt so proud. She would say 'One day you won't have to take the bus to travel, I will buy you and Appa a car so you can travel comfortably.' My husband and I didn’t have the opportunity to complete our education and we always wanted our children to excel at what they did. We could see all our dreams coming true. But with her condition, everything is slipping away.” - Jayashree

Her parents are daily wagers, struggling to get both their children treated – a surgery is beyond their means  

Shankar and Jayashree are both daily wagers who’ve worked all their lives to give their children a better life than they had. Unfortunately, despite all their efforts, both their children are suffering. Megha’s brother, Vinayaka (20), has a physical impairment and limps when he walks. He has a problem with the nervous system and also needs surgery. Megha's parents are now at a dead-end. 

“Our son also needs surgery, but we don’t have the means to get them both treated at the same time. It's tough to watch both our children suffer. Megha's condition is getting worse with each day. We’ve already postponed her treatment for far too long because we weren’t able to arrange for money, but now, she’s running out of time. We earn around 200 a day and that’s not enough to save our daughter.” - Shankar

How You Can Help

Megha needs surgery in the next 15 days to survive her progressive condition. Her spine is deformed and this can lead to severe cardiac issues, putting her life in danger. Megha has many dreams for her future, and one day wants to support her parents on her own. Megha can have a chance of a bright future and a happy life with urgent surgery, but her parents are struggling to save her on a measly income. Megha needs your help to live.