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Ten months ago, life should have been a celebration for Kalaiyarasan and Karuthammal, first-time parents. Instead, it turned into a nightmare.
Their beautiful daughter didn’t cry or move at birth. Within minutes, she was rushed to an incubator.
Karuthammal didn’t even get a chance to hold her child.
"All I could do was pray she’d open her eyes. The silence broke me," - Karuthammal, mother
We Thought the Worst Was Over, But It Was Just the Beginning
Due to a blood infection at birth, her first days were spent in the ICU, fighting for every breath. After just 45 days, the baby developed a high fever, began vomiting, and experienced abdominal swelling.
The routine checkups spiraled into weeks of ICU admissions and exhaustive tests on her fragile body.
Despite their efforts, doctors in Trichy couldn’t provide a clear diagnosis. They would say it was an infection and indicated issues around the spleen. But no one could explain why or how.
The fever eventually subsided, but they returned home uneasy.
"Every time we left the hospital, we never had an answer. Before we realised, the fever would always come back, stronger and more relentless." - Kalaiyarasan, father
Her Little Body Couldn’t Rest, Not Even for a Moment
Kalaiyarasan and Karuthammal felt somewhere that their peace would not last long.
They were right. At nine months, their nightmare worsened. The fever returned, her stomach swelled, and her spleen enlarged alarmingly.
Desperate for answers, they made countless trips to Chennai. While her fever was always treated, doctors could never address the heart of the matter.
“we watch her tiny body fight for survival every day. But that's not how it's supposed to be. She’s never had the chance to experience the joys of being a child.” - Kalaiyarasan, mother
We Found an Answer, But It Feels Like a Sentence
The next time the fever returned, Kalaiyarasan visited Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. Extensive tests finally led to a diagnosis: Multisystem Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH), a rare condition that causes immature immune cells to build up, damaging tissue and forming tumors.
For the first time, they had a name. Until that moment, they lived with the fear that their baby couldn't be cured or live long. The medicines doctors prescribed gave them a brief moment of relief. Because their daughter still had a fever, they admitted her for a day before returning home.
That’s when it all turned dark. The 10-month-old child suddenly had severe fits and fell unconscious. Her tiny body went limp in her parents’ arms as panic gripped them.
She was rushed to the ICU and has been on a ventilator since then. Her life hanging by a thread.
"We thought knowing what was wrong would save her, but we’re running out of time without any money or support." - Kalaiyarasan, father
Now We Can’t Even Pay For Tomorrow’s Ventilator Cost
Kalaiyarasan earns just ₹15,000 a month. His income is no match for the tidal wave of medical expenses.
Over the past ten months, the family has spent ₹13 lakhs. They’ve sold all their jewellery, taken loans, and borrowed from friends and family.
Day after day, they scraped together what they could, desperate to keep their baby alive.
But every day’s medicine and ventilator costs amount to ₹1.5 lakhs.
With all the funds gone, they have nowhere to go and are backed up against the wall, trying to fight for their little fighter.
"We see she wants to fight; otherwise, she would have left us long ago. Her fights shouldn’t be put to an end because of us. I can’t let it" - Kalaiyarasan, father
Despite Everything, She Doesn’t Stop Fighting, So We Won’t Either
Every moment of her young life has been a battle, but she refuses to give up.
Despite the pain, the needles, and the machines keeping her alive, she clings to life with unimaginable strength. Her parents draw their hope from her resilience, but reality wears them down. They want to do everything to save her but can’t do it alone anymore.
Your contribution could be the lifeline this family desperately needs. You can help give this baby the warm welcome she deserves into the world.
This brave little girl has a future she’s trying to grasp. Help her for every second, and contribution counts.
Click here to contribute
EIN 20-5139364
