Rare Disease Leaves 13yr-Old Girl's Face Covered In Painful | Milaap
Rare Disease Leaves 13yr-Old Girl's Face Covered In Painful Blisters
  • AR

    Created by

    Atmasuman R
  • SA

    This fundraiser will benefit

    Shanaz Akhtar

    from Punch, Jammu & Kashmir

“She woke up one morning and started screaming. When I and her mother reached her room, she was crying and hiding her face. Her face was covered with red spots and blisters. She was in immense pain, her stomach was also hurting badly…” 
- Ashraf, father

Until recently, Shanaz was suffering from an unknown disease for almost a year and a half. Her parents took her to several hospitals in and around Jammu, trying to figure out what she was suffering from. It was finally in Chandigarh that she was diagnosed with Hypogammaglobulinemia, a dangerous disorder which impairs the immune system and severely increases the risk of infection. These infections can damage organs and lead to potentially serious complications. 

She doesn't have the energy to even laugh or smile

“No medicine was working on her and every day her condition was getting worse. She kept getting infections so easily and frequently, and needed to be admitted in the hospital every time. I used to try and cheer her up but she often felt so tired that she couldn't even smile or laugh.” - Ashraf

Now, only regular injections can save her, but Ashraf can't afford it

“What I earn is not even enough to take her to the hospital, let alone her treatment. The travel expenses, the cost of the injection, the daily medicines, all put together it costs about Rs. 50,000 a month!  I am just a poor labourer, that much money is way beyond my means. I've only managed so far because of my family and friends who helped me. I even sold my land to save my daughter but it is just not enough anymore. I am helpless now.” - Ashraf

She has been studying in the same grade since 2 years

After Shanaz’s condition got critical she couldn’t continue her school. It’s been 2 years since then and this 13-year-old is still in the 6th grade. The little girl is losing her hope to study with her friends as the gap between their grades keeps on increasing.

“They are all in senior classes now... I feel very lonely but I'm also afraid to go back to school. What if they tease me for not being promoted to the higher class? But I try... I really do try. I just can't don't have the strength. I just want to study...” - Shanaz


Your generous contributions can save her, and help this little girl stop being on the sidelines. She can run and play and study with the other kids like she so desperately wants to. Click here to donate.

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