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Sangita Raha, a homemaker and mother of a 12‑year‑old boy, is in the ICU in Kolkata with a severe heart valve infection on top of kidney failure (CKD stage 5). Doctors say she urgently needs open‑heart valve replacement surgery while she is on dialysis. Over the last two years our family has already spent more than ₹12 lakh on her treatment, and in her current hospitalization we have ₹3 lakh due. At this point, we have no money left. Please help us raise ₹10 lakh for her life‑saving surgery and ICU care.
My name is Susama, and I am 63 years old. I never imagined that in my old age I would be preparing to donate my kidney to save my daughter’s life, and still be unable to protect her without the kindness of strangers.My daughter Sangita Raha, 41 years old, is a homemaker and a Master’s degree holder in English. Before falling sick, she used to take private tuition classes to support her family along with her husband’s very small income. They lived a simple but cheerful life with their 12‑year‑old son in Howrah, always struggling but managing somehow. Today that happy life is completely shattered.
How her kidney disease started: In May 2024, Sangita suddenly became very unwell and severely weak. Her hemoglobin was found to be 4, and we admitted her to the hematologist at Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Howrah. There, after tests and a kidney biopsy, she was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (now progressed to stage 5) due to IgA nephropathy. Her creatinine had already reached 14, and dialysis had to be started immediately.
She remained admitted there for around 10 days. After coming home, our life changed to a routine of dialysis sessions, medicines, iron and blood creation injections and constant fear. During the initial dialysis period with open channel she developed a severe Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, and had to be admitted again to a private hospital for a long period. Each hospitalization costed several lakhs.
Over the last two years we have spent more than ₹12 lakh on her treatment – ICU stays, repeated admissions, dialysis, and countless expensive tests to make her eligible for a kidney transplant and to obtain government approvals. We managed all these with our lifetime savings and multiple loans from relatives; we have nothing left now.
A mother’s decision to donate her kidney: When Sangita became a little stable on dialysis, the doctors advised kidney transplantation as the best chance for her to live longer. I am 63 years old, but I did not think twice before offering my kidney. Various expensive tests were done for both of us to check compatibility. Finally, we obtained approval from the Health Department authorities for the transplant. We received an estimate of about ₹4 lakh(subsidized) for the kidney transplant at Kolkata Kidney Institute (KKI), and both of us were supposed to get admitted there on 11th February 2026 for the surgery.
We had somehow arranged loans, hoping that after this transplant my daughter would get a new life.
Everything collapsed just before the transplant: Just a few days before admission, on 8th February 2026, Sangita suddenly became very sick with severe breathlessness and high fever. We had to rush her to a local nursing home, where she remained admitted for 11 days. Her haemoglobin dropped to 5, her white blood cell count went up to 18,000, and she needed strong antibiotics like meropenem, several units of blood and emergency dialysis. She developed extreme pain and weakness in the lower half of her body and lost the ability to walk. After discharge, when she came home, her condition worsened again within days. We then admitted her to Kolkata Kidney Institute (KKI) on 27th February, 2026. After detailed tests, doctors found that she now has infective endocarditis – a very dangerous infection on her heart valve – in addition to end‑stage kidney disease and dialysis.
Right now she has already spent around 15 days in hospital again and is still in the ICU at KKI.
Despite the strongest antibiotics, the infection on her heart valve is not getting under control. Doctors have told us that only an urgent open‑heart surgery with valve replacement can save her life. They need to cut out the infected part of the valve and replace it, while managing her fragile kidneys with dialysis before and after surgery. KKI does not perform such complex heart surgeries, so they have advised shifting her to a cardiac center similar to RN Tagore as soon as possible. They have also informed us that they may have to discharge her soon because there is nothing more they can do there. That means everyday we wait increases the risk of infection permanently damaging her heart or take her away from us.
Why we are helpless without your support: Sangita’s husband has a very low and irregular income, less than ₹10,000 a month, which is not enough even for basic family needs. Earlier, Sangita’s private tuitions helped them survive, but she has not been able to work since 2024. Our family has an official low‑income certificate from the local authorities to show our financial status.
Until now, all the big expenses have been met by our extended family – my sons, my daughter in laws family – through their savings and multiple loans. Between 2024 and now, we have already spent more than ₹12 lakh on her kidney disease, infections, ICU stays and transplant work‑up. We are in heavy debt and have no more resources left.
Now we are facing the most critical expense of all – open‑heart valve replacement surgery, ICU care, dialysis, blood units, strong antibiotics and immediate post‑operative medicines at a cardiac hospital in Kolkata. Based on doctors’ guidance and similar cases, the total cost of this stage of treatment is expected to be around ₹10,00,000 (10 lakh). As soon as we receive the official written estimate from the cardiac hospital, we will upload it here and adjust the goal if required.
Please note: this fundraiser is mainly for the urgent heart surgery and ICU treatment. After she recovers from this, we will again try to arrange help for the kidney transplant in the future using government schemes and NGO support.
We promise that every rupee raised here will be used only for her medical treatment – surgery, ICU charges, dialysis, blood transfusions, antibiotics and related hospital expenses. We will upload her medical reports, hospital estimates, low‑income certificate and bills, and share regular updates on her condition so that you can clearly see how your support is helping my daughter.
A mother’s appeal: As a mother, it is unbearable to see my 41‑year‑old daughter fighting for every breath, while her 12‑year‑old son waits at home asking when his mother will come back. I have already offered my kidney to save her, but I cannot arrange this huge amount of money on my own.
On behalf of our entire family, I humbly request you:
Despite the strongest antibiotics, the infection on her heart valve is not getting under control. Doctors have told us that only an urgent open‑heart surgery with valve replacement can save her life. They need to cut out the infected part of the valve and replace it, while managing her fragile kidneys with dialysis before and after surgery. KKI does not perform such complex heart surgeries, so they have advised shifting her to a cardiac center similar to RN Tagore as soon as possible. They have also informed us that they may have to discharge her soon because there is nothing more they can do there. That means everyday we wait increases the risk of infection permanently damaging her heart or take her away from us.
Why we are helpless without your support: Sangita’s husband has a very low and irregular income, less than ₹10,000 a month, which is not enough even for basic family needs. Earlier, Sangita’s private tuitions helped them survive, but she has not been able to work since 2024. Our family has an official low‑income certificate from the local authorities to show our financial status.
Until now, all the big expenses have been met by our extended family – my sons, my daughter in laws family – through their savings and multiple loans. Between 2024 and now, we have already spent more than ₹12 lakh on her kidney disease, infections, ICU stays and transplant work‑up. We are in heavy debt and have no more resources left.
Now we are facing the most critical expense of all – open‑heart valve replacement surgery, ICU care, dialysis, blood units, strong antibiotics and immediate post‑operative medicines at a cardiac hospital in Kolkata. Based on doctors’ guidance and similar cases, the total cost of this stage of treatment is expected to be around ₹10,00,000 (10 lakh). As soon as we receive the official written estimate from the cardiac hospital, we will upload it here and adjust the goal if required.
Please note: this fundraiser is mainly for the urgent heart surgery and ICU treatment. After she recovers from this, we will again try to arrange help for the kidney transplant in the future using government schemes and NGO support.
We promise that every rupee raised here will be used only for her medical treatment – surgery, ICU charges, dialysis, blood transfusions, antibiotics and related hospital expenses. We will upload her medical reports, hospital estimates, low‑income certificate and bills, and share regular updates on her condition so that you can clearly see how your support is helping my daughter.
A mother’s appeal: As a mother, it is unbearable to see my 41‑year‑old daughter fighting for every breath, while her 12‑year‑old son waits at home asking when his mother will come back. I have already offered my kidney to save her, but I cannot arrange this huge amount of money on my own.
On behalf of our entire family, I humbly request you:
- Please donate whatever you can. Even the smallest contribution will help bring us closer to the surgery my daughter urgently needs.
- Please share this fundraiser link with your friends, relatives, colleagues and social media groups so that more people can see our plea and support us.
