When I wake each day, my heart is heavy with worry. I get ready, then walk through the quiet streets to the temple where I serve as a priest. In my duty, I am expected to bring comfort and hope to others, to offer prayers and perform rituals with a calm mind and steady hands. But every step I take, every prayer I recite, is filled with thoughts of my son. I stand before God each day, my lips moving in prayer, but my heart is pleading for just one thing—his life.
I pray for those who come to me with their troubles, yet my own sorrow grows deeper. As a father, I feel powerless to protect my own child; as a priest, I find myself questioning why this suffering has come to us. Why is my son facing this terrible fate? Why can't I, with all my faith and devotion, find a way to save him?

It has been nine years since we first realized something was wrong

When my son was born in 2009, he was so tiny and weak. We noticed his skin turning yellow the very next day, and he was put in a machine to keep him alive. For months, we took him from one doctor to another, trying to understand why he was always so sick. It wasn’t until 2015, after endless tests and hospital visits, that we finally got the answer in Chandigarh, that my son has a rare form of anemia, and that the only real cure is a bone marrow transplant. I remember looking at my wife, Shivani, feeling like the ground had fallen away beneath us.

Now, my son is 14, and his entire life revolves around the hospital

He has depended upon weekly blood transfusions just to survive. Every week, we make the same journey to the hospital and I watch as he sits quietly, bracing himself for the pain of the needle, his face tightening as it pierces his skin. He’s been enduring this for his whole life, week upon week, and each time it feels like a small piece of his childhood is slipping away. The doctors tell us that his condition is becoming more critical with every passing day, and the transfusions may stop working soon. We live with the fear that something worse could happen at any moment. They say the only way to save him is with an urgent bone marrow transplant, but the costs are overwhelming. Without the money, how can we even think of moving forward with the treatment he desperately needs?

Our family is being torn apart under the weight of this illness

My daughter, Anshika, is only 18, yet she carries a burden far too heavy for her age. She tries to be strong for her younger brother, hiding her tears and fears behind a brave face. Despite her excellent grades, she had to settle for a government university because we couldn’t afford college fees. She doesn’t know the full truth about her brother’s condition; we keep it from her to protect her from despair. Yet, every day, I see the worry in her eyes, the silent prayers she offers.

I am still a priest, but I am also a father. Please, be our miracle, help us save our son

I earn only Rs. 2000 from the temple committee, and another Rs. 1500 a month from driving when I can find work. It’s not enough to cover the cost of medicines, hospital visits, or the daily expenses of our family. His transfusions alone cost Rs. 1500 a week! I have tried everything. I sold a small plot of land I had, I took loans; I don’t know what else to do.
I’m begging for your help. As a father who loves his son more than anything, I am asking you to help us give him a chance at life. I’ve seen miracles happen in this temple, I’ve seen people come together to support one another...

You stepped up and helped them at the right time

These parents were fortunate that their prayers were answered right in time, and that your help arrived before something bad could happen to their child. But the bitter truth is that many children born with rare diseases do not receive the same help. Millions of innocent kids suffer from cruel symptoms due to which their life becomes a living nightmare.

If these young ones do not get treated within a specific period of time, the quality of life suffers, and eventually they face the risk of death. Funds stand between them and their healthy, bright futures. You can help avoid these complications, by donating to Milaap Kids’ Rare Disease Fund, which will ensure that no child suffering from rare diseases is left behind.

Click here to learn more about how you can make a difference.