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“These past few weeks have been nothing less than hell for our little girl. Her condition worsened so fast, we didn’t even see it coming. Her temperature soars almost every other day and she can’t eat anything without throwing up right after. She’s lost so much weight and seems almost unrecognizable now…” - Shashikala, mother
She had huge dark blotches on her hands and legs
2 months ago, Chandana had been excited to be back in school after a year of attending online classes. She had been looking forward to meeting her friends, indulging in extracurricular activities, and playing sports again. But only 4 days into her classes, things started to go terribly wrong for the 11-year-old.“At first, everything was normal. But then, we noticed huge dark patches on her hands and legs. They seemed like blood clots, but they were abnormally big. At a local clinic, we were asked to get a blood test and bone marrow test done. We found out from the results that she had a rare blood disorder, and extremely low platelet levels.” - Rajkumar, father
She suffers from a rare and dangerous blood-related condition
Chandana was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, a serious blood disorder that occurs when your body stops producing enough new blood cells. It makes you more vulnerable to infections and uncontrolled bleeding. There is no treatment for aplastic anemia, and in more severe cases, the only long-term cure is a bone marrow transplant - which is what Chandana has been advised to undergo.“We took her to a bigger hospital in the city, where she underwent blood transfusions to stabilize her platelet levels. But everything just spiralled from there. She started to feel more dizzy and would cry a lot, complaining of her stomach hurting. At one point, she started bleeding from her teeth as well. She is in a lot of pain and discomfort, and there’s nothing I can do to take it away…” - Shashikala
He lost his job during the pandemic, now he struggles to save his daughter
Rajkumar was a private employee, until his company shut down during the pandemic and left him jobless. The family had been struggling to get by with the little that they had, and depended on Shashikala’s salary as a domestic help. But since Chandana fell ill, neither of them have been able to work, leaving them without a proper source of income. In this state, they cannot meet the expenses of their daughter’s life-saving transplant.“I had no choice but to beg and borrow from my family and friends, with the promise that I will return the money soon… Yet it is nowhere close to being enough for my daughter’s transplant, which will cost 13 lakh rupees. My younger daughter has even been matched as the donor. But, I have no job, resources or anything valuable to afford such a hefty price. How will I save my daughter with no money?” - Rajkumar
For over a month now, Chandana has been in the ICU, fighting a recurring high fever. As only one person is allowed to stay by her side, her father and younger sister haven’t seen her all this time. They desperately wish to see Chandana healthy, happy and running about again. For this, they need your help.
Your contributions can get Chandana a bone marrow transplant. Click here to donate.
