Susheakaran had only one dream since he was 8 years old: to become an ace cricketer like his favorite MS Dhoni.  He was so dedicated that he wouldn’t miss a day of coaching - even if it meant waking up early on weekends, travelling a few hundred kilometers to reach the coaching centre and practicing till sunset.  His hard work paid off when he was selected to play in the under-12 cricket team representing Tiruvallur district (Tamil Nadu). “He was an all-rounder; his coaches used to marvel at his bowling and batting skills. We were so proud of him and had so many hopes for his future,” says Susheakaran’s father Anbarasu, holding back his tears. “But now our only wish is that he stays alive.”



Life has become a downhill ride for Susheakaran after he was found to have a severe liver disease in 2014. “That year, he had gone for the U-14 team selection despite being so sick, but had to leave before completing the process after vomiting continuously. He was heartbroken – I had never seen him so sad before,” says Anbarasu. Now, Susheakaran’s condition is extremely critical and he needs an urgent liver transplant to live.

Susheakaran’s tummy is painfully swollen and he is completely weak, but he is hopeful of better days ahead   

Susheakaran was diagnosed with Wilson’s disease, an inherited disorder that causes too much copper to accumulate in the liver. He was surviving on medicines and regular hospital visits all these years, but now it has gotten worse to the extent that his tummy has become painfully swollen. He is eating less with every passing day because of this. But the worst part is that he cannot urinate properly due to copper deposition in the body; he needs medicines to aid this purpose. “We cannot give him more than 1 litre of fluids a day, be it water or juice because of this reason, even if he is very thirsty,” adds mother Vaijayanthi.

An old photo of Susheakaran with his mother an little brother

When he sees his parents getting worried, he tells them to be calm. “Everything will be alright, I am okay,” says a positive Susheakaran trying to hide his pain. Being a smart child, he knows what he is suffering from and has even befriended his treating doctor to learn more details. Susheakaran is hopeful that he will live long enough to be a famous cricketer, but he can only be saved from his troubles through a liver transplant. His mother is a matched donor and he has already undergone all tests, but the only obstacle standing in the way of this boy getting well is money.

“We have already asked for help from all quarters, but nothing has arrived till now”

Susheakaran’s father Anbarasu works as a customer care executive in a call taxi company based in Chennai, earning close to Rs 9,000 per month. It was on this salary that he took care of his two children – Susheakaran (16) and Omkarnath (11). Despite earning so little, he used to keep aside Rs 2,000 for Susheakaran’s cricket coaching every month. He had to borrow heavily from well-wishers to pay for his son’s treatment till now and has nothing left to save him.“It was our shared dream – my wife’s and mine – to see our son soar heights in the field of cricket. But now, we have abandoned all that. We cannot bear to see him struggle to get even a good night’s sleep. We just want to see him hale and hearty once again,” says Anbarasu.

Susheakaran with his brother, when he was happy and healthy

How you can help

Today, even while undergoing extreme discomfort and pain, all Susheakaran can talk about is cricket. His suffering is nothing next to his passion for the game. He can become healthy again with a liver transplant – we can ensure that he undergoes the procedure by donating a small amount to his cause.