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We woke up to the sound of our 2-year-old screaming. It wasn’t the first time he had woken us up, but usually we can tell what he wants. Maybe he got hungry, or needed his diaper changed. But that night… it was different.
As we jumped out of bed with our own hearts pounding in our chests, scrambling to turn the lights on, we could hear that he wasn’t crying. He was screaming.
He was terrified. And so were we.
– Anjal, father
Anjal and Nita found little Aashraya breathing very rapidly, struggling for air. They rushed him to a local doctor straight away. After a tense night of breath support and medicines, their little one was able to breathe on his own again. But both the doctors and the parents couldn’t figure out what had caused the problem in the first place.
Little Aashraya survived when other babies don’t, but his condition is critical
“They ran so many different tests. And eventually we had a diagnosis. My Aashu has a heart defect. His heart doesn’t pump enough good blood through his body. They said it’s a ‘critical congenital heart defect’, and that most babies who have this don’t live this long. Somehow Aashu made it this far, but if he doesn’t get a surgery now, he may not make it.”– Nita, mother
For 2 years, he didn’t display any symptoms
The doctors are still baffled as to how Aashraya’s condition went undetected so long. Anjal and Nita never noticed any of the usual symptoms this condition creates like excessive tiredness, pale or bluish skin, inability to focus, or even the breathlessness, until that fateful night. Since then, poor Aashu has started suffering all these symptoms.
Anjal isn’t sure how to afford the 4.5 lakhs his son requires to survive now
“I work in a small company. The money I made was just about enough to support my small family every month. I never got to think about having any savings. We’ve already sold whatever we could sell, and borrowed whatever we could borrow. But it’s not enough. How am I supposed to save him? What am I supposed to do?!”– Anjal
Little Aashraya is suffering. At a time when he should be learning how to talk, some of his first words are those expressing pain and fear, his desire to go home. Anjal and Nita have done everything they can, and now need your help.
Please contribute as much as you can, and help bring little Aashu home.
