1-year-old Vignesh Has Been Suffering From Severe Diarrhea Since Birth

Soon after birth, Vignesh’s inability to retain any food in his body has left him very weak. Vignesh has fought hard for the past year and has visited the hospital several times. To make significant progress in his recovery (or continue to live), he needs an intestinal transplant. His parents have expended all their financial resources and have even borrowed money to save his life. Now, their financial status makes it difficult for them to maintain his health and provide for the transplant.

Vignesh has had diarrhoea all his life!

Kalpana, Vignesh’s mother, said, "He has been sick since he was just 15 days old. After that, his loose-motions began. It has not stopped since then. Anything we feed him is either vomited out or passed out in stools. For 2 years, we have heard hospitals tell us that we should give up. We know there is a cure, and my son deserves it.”

It took over a year for the doctors to figure out what was wrong with Vignesh. After several visits, Vignesh was diagnosed with Intestinal Lymphangiectasia which is a rare intestinal disorder. Due to this, Vignesh has had constant diarrhoea and this has taken a severe toll on his health and growth. His physical weakness has prevented him from growing up like a normal child and he still hasn’t been able to find the strength to walk!

Even after the diagnosis, it took his parents 4 months to find a doctor who told them he could perform a surgery that could cure the baby. After all, there is some hope for Vignesh to have a normal childhood.

Vignesh's parents cannot see him suffer anymore. He needs urgent help

Vignesh’s constant need of medical attention results in frequent visits to the hospital and for every visit, his parents need to provide Rs. 40,000-50,000 for his treatments. Roshan, Vignesh’s father, is an auto-driver and earns around 8,000-9,000 per month, and Kalpana is a housewife. She made sure Vignesh always had the medical attention he needed and asked everyone in her community to help. Her sincere desire to save her son has gathered some support.

“We used up everything for Vignesh's treatment. All our savings, both our parents' saving and all my wedding gifts are gone. As his parents we have to do everything we can. I told my husband – no matter what we will save him. It is what he deserves after so much pain”, Kalpana stated valiantly.

Facing financial pressures, they have still been able to provide Rs 9 lakhs to keep Vignesh alive over the past 18 months. Vignesh had to be hospitalized for months – sometimes in the Intensive Care Unit too. With the doctor willing to subsidize treatment cost, Roshan and Kalpana are still unable to meet the financial requirements for the additional medical attention and surgery Vignesh needs.

A lawyer, Santosh Singh, has been helping Kalpana to apply for various schemes and grants that could possibly help her. He said, “It is very difficult for them because they are illiterate and don't know what they should do or who they should talk to. So, I felt that I should step in and help out because the mother is really desperate to save her child.”

With her determination, Kalpana has moved obstacles and has been provided with an opportunity to give her son the healthy childhood he deserves. With your help, she can make the most of this opportunity and actually save him.

How you can help

After several months of discomfort and illness, Vignesh needs immediate medical attention to continue his fight against a rare intestinal disorder. His parents have no means to pay for his treatments and needs. Your contribution will be used to continue his medical treatments, and provide for the surgery he needs to recover from this grave disorder.

With your help, Kalpana’s dreams would come true and Vignesh can finally have a healthy future and a childhood. Contribute to Vignesh’s surgery now.