Ayesha is a 15-year-old with a terrible liver condition. She has been in and out of hospitals from July 2016. The doctors finally identified her condition as Porphyria and prescribed a liver transplant for her. Her father is a contract worker in a cable company who cannot afford this expensive treatment.
Anticipation of writing her board exams is keeping Ayesha going
To Ayesha, her class 10 results were the reward she was going to get after working so hard all these years. She wanted to score well, and join a good college in Pune. College was supposed to open up her horizons and launch her into her career.
Ayesha at home after she became ill
But just a month after she started school, she became very sick vomitting away all her food. Her doctors admitted her to a hospital near her home in Kondhwa, Pune. She was in the hospital for a week and when her condition stabilised, she was discharged.Unfortunately, she fell sick again. Every month since then, one month is the longest she has been out of the hospital. The careful study plans Ayesha had drawn up were shot because she has been to sick to even attend class. For a long time, the doctors couldn't even tell them what was wrong.
Ayesha (front left) in a dance at her school's Annual Day celebrations
“My daughter is a grade-A-student. She has never scored anything less. She is good at everything – sports, extracurriculars, studies. She had been preparing furiously for her Class 10, so we thought it was stress. Now, she looks at me not understanding what happened to her,” explains her father Mohideen.
Ayesha was diagnosed five months after she got sick
Ayesha was finally diagnosed with acute intermittent porphyira in December. The disease is a hereditary disease in which her body is accumulates a substance called porphyrins in the liver. She needs a liver transplant at the soonest to get better.
Ayesha before she fell sick at her school
“She is a very fussy eater. so, at first, we blamed her eating habits for why she was so sick. But now they tell us it is genetic and that she got it from me. If I could, I would take all her suffering,” says her father.
From when Ayesha fell sick, Mohideen has suffered the intolerable pain of watching his happy child suffer pain. He works long hours balancing work with making sure Ayesha goes to the hospital whenever she needs to. His monthly income varies between Rs 8,000-13,000.
Ayesha with her father, mother and brother
Ayesha is ready to face the ordeal of an organ transplant because she wants her life back to normal. She can see the strain her illness is putting on her parents and is keen to go back to school. To encourage her, her teachers and friends come to visit her regularly. Her school has even issued her unconditional admission when she gets back.
Till now Mohideen has spent over Rs 6 lakhs on her treatment. His daughter not getting life-saving treatment is not an option. The family is struggling to manage their daily expenses and the cost of Ayesha's treatment. They need another Rs 20 lakhs to save Ayesha.
Supporting documents
The specifics of this case have been verified by the medical team at the concerned hospital. For any clarification on the treatment or associated costs, contact the campaign organizer or the medical team.
