7-Year-Old With Cancer Has Little Time Left To Live Without An Urgent Transplant

7-year-old Baby Chirayu is a very bright, playful child whose laughter resonates in the lives of his family. He is the lifeline of everyone in the family. Unfortunately, he is now in hospital battling cancer. He has to undergo a Bone Marrow Transplant immediately to survive.

Chirayu barely remembers what life was like without cancer

Chirayu needs bone marrow transplant to survive

Chirayu had Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia - a blood Cancer, when he was just 5-years-old. He had a high fever and hacking cough. It was only after 6 months that the doctors realized he had cancer. By now, his only hope is a bone-marrow transplant. They were unable to find treatment in Sri Lanka - where Chirayu is from. The family has come to Chennai with the hope of saving Chirayu.

Chirayu's mother had to leave her infant daughter at home to support Chirayu

Chirayu’s father or his younger sister will be the donor for the transplant depending on compatibility. His parents have left their two daughters Chiranji, (3) and Ishiri (1) in their grandmother’s house. It was a heartbreaking decision for the mother to leave her breastfeeding baby alone hundreds of miles away but she had no option. When she hears that the baby still cries for milk, it breaks her heart but she has to be strong for Chirayu.

Chirayu's parents have come to Chennai for his treatment leaving two little daughters at home

“I can’t describe how guilty I feel  to leave my two kids and come here but I don’t have any other option. It is a matter of life and death. Chirayu does not even remember what life was like without cancer. He has gone through a lot of pain in the past 2 years,” says his mother Harshani.

His grandmother got a heart attack on hearing that he has cancer

On learning that Chirayu has a life-threatening disease, his grandmother had a heart attack. Doctors have suggested a bypass surgery to avoid further complications in future and the surgery will cost Rs 15 lakhs. But she is refusing to take treatment because she wants Chirayu to undergo treatment first. She pleads to save Chirayu’s life.

He could sense that his condition is serious by overhearing the conversation in hospital

“My mother and son are fighting for their life at the same time and I’m not able to do anything for them. My son has overheard a conversation in the hospital and he asked me if he would die. I burst into tears on hearing that. I don’t know what is going on in his mind,” Harshani says.

Father has no strength left to see his son screaming in pain

Chirayu’s father has already finished his savings for the treatment. His colleagues helped him to cover the cost of passport and visas for three of them. There is no one left whom he has not asked for help with the treatment. He has sold all that he had and now he is lost about what to do next.

His parents cannot afford the treatment but they hold on to their dream Chirayu coming back home healthy

“When my son screams in pain, I leave the room in tears, I have no strength to see him in such a situation. I can’t bear that he cannot have the transplant now just because I’m not rich. I cannot forgive myself if I don’t help my son to get his treatment done", says his father Ajith.

How you can help

Ajith used to work as a supervisor in a private firm but he had to quit the job for his son’s treatment. He has no source of income and cannot imagine returning home without his son. Chirayu has a good chance of recovery if the transplant is done at the earliest. His two sisters and grandmother are waiting hopefully for him to come back healthy. With our support, this boy can live a long life.

Supporting Document

The specifics of this campaign have been verified with the concerned hospital. For more details, please contact the campaign organizer or the hospital.

Click here to save Chirayu