Save This 3-Year-Old Girl From Losing Her Life To Infections

3-year-old Harshitha was born happy and healthy, or so the parents thought until she began bawling in pain six months after birth. She has been sick every single day for the past two and half years of her life due to a rare genetic condition that makes her vulnerable to infections. Harshitha’s parents are unable to afford the only cure that can save their only child’s life, a bone marrow transplant.

Pedanna and Anitha, the parents, always wanted to have a daughter. Their family finally felt complete with two older boys and the newborn princess, Harshitha. Although they come from a modest home, there is an abundance of love for everyone. Pedanna works as a laborer and runs the household on his earnings. Anitha is a housewife, who tends to the chores and cares for the children.

When she was six months old, Harshitha began crying out of pain. The parents tried everything and were not able to ease their baby out of distress. When she showed symptoms of infection they rushed her to the local hospital. Tests revealed that Harshitha suffers from a rare condition, a Mendelian susceptibility to Mycobacterial Disease (MSMD), which is an immunodeficiency to even the lesser virulent strains of bacteria, which puts her life in danger.

The world crumbled around these parents as the doctor explained what is really happening to Harshitha. A healthy person will probably be resistant or show very mild symptoms if exposed to the weakest strains of mycobacteria in the environment. Harshitha, on the other hand, will get extremely sick if she is infected by these very strains. Her body cannot fight off the infection efficiently and is also prone to multiple attacks which put her life in constant danger.

For the past three years, Pedanna has paid over 300 visits to the hospital. They have tried temporary fixes which were all they can afford. As she grows up, life expectancy goes down. The doctors have advised the family to opt for a bone marrow transplant immediately as a permanent cure.

Managing the household expenses with a meager salary of Rs. 300/day along with the medical costs for Harshitha has become an impossible task for Pedanna. His little savings have also paid for the children’s education. Now the family is not left with any money to save their little child.

Harshitha's transplant is postponed because of lack of money. They are unable to get her admitted to the hospital or get the donor's procedures started because of this. Pedanna's relatives are trying their best to arrange some money but they are unable to collect any significant amount because of their own financial situation.

The cost estimated for Harshitha’s treatment is Rs. 21,60,000 including backup collection, preparation therapy, and transplant procedure. Every moment that goes by is a moment that this baby girl’s life slowly slips away.