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“My little girl has gotten used to all this - the bitter medicines, painful blood transfusions, long hospitalisations - and it pains me to even think about her living like this for the rest of her life. At 3 years old, she has been deprived of so many little joys, but she doesn’t know that. I can’t help but weep sometimes seeing the bright smile on her face, knowing that a deadly blood disorder could snatch it away any time…” - Nancy, mother
All was well until she turned 1, and her parents noticed her declining health
Vipin and Nancy’s baby girl was healthy at the time of her birth and most of her infancy - until she turned 1. She was a late bloomer and had just gotten the hang of walking, but her parents found it especially odd how she seemed to be looking weak and was losing a lot of baby fat. Her legs would tremble with every step she took, and she’d run fevers quite often. The patterns soon became so frequent that they knew something was amiss with their child.
she had an alarmingly low blood count and her pediatrician asked us to get her a blood transfusion
“At first, her reports said she had an alarmingly low blood count and her paediatrician asked us to get her a blood transfusion. I was shocked and I remember thinking how this was even possible... We were then advised to get more tests done, and I was on edge for days until the results were in our hands. The day the doctor broke the news to us about our daughter’s thalassemia, we felt like the world had caved in on us.” - Vipin, father
Despite knowing there is a cure, these parents are helpless
The child was diagnosed with thalassemia major, a severe blood disorder where the body doesn’t produce enough haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in the blood. Since the day she was diagnosed, Vipin and Nancy have known that there is only one definite treatment - bone marrow transplant - that can give their daughter the best possible chance at life. But at INR 38 lakhs, this cure is entirely out of their reach.
The moment she is low on energy we understand she needs blood transfusion. She needs a transfusion every 15 days.
“The minute she stops eating, or being her energetic self - that’s when we know she needs a blood transfusion. It’s as frequent as once every 15 days now. Sometimes, they don’t even have blood available, and I have to go to great lengths to arrange for it. The doctors have even warned us that these constant transfusions could end up damaging her organs and even killing her. But if she gets a bone marrow transplant, she won’t have to depend on transfusions to live a normal life. But we are not in a position to afford it…” - Vipin
Her father does labour work and is unable to bear the expenses of his child’s life saving transplant
Vipin does labour work at a production company and earns about INR 15,000 a month. The sole breadwinner, a big chunk of his income is often spent on his daughter’s medicines, leaving him with little for his 6-member family’s sustenance. Now, after spending INR 3 lakhs through his own means, he’s exhausted all he had and has no way to bear the expenses of his child’s life saving transplant.
With every passing day, the threat to her life looms large
“We pushed it back all these years because of our financial situation. That hasn’t changed much, but our daughter’s health is rapidly on the decline. If we delay the transplant any longer, there is no telling what could happen. But one thing is for certain - her life is at risk. We have watched our child battle this condition for over 2 years now. All we want is to end her suffering, but we are miserably failing. I’m terrified that if we don’t do something soon, we will lose her…” Vipin
This disease is slowly destroying this baby girl’s body and threatens to take her life. This little one needs your help to live.
Vipin and Nancy are in dire need of your help at this moment. Thalassemia is slowly destroying their baby girl’s body and threatens to take her life. With your contributions, she can receive a bone marrow transplant and lead a healthy life. Click here to contribute.
Identity of the child is protected in adherence to government guidelines.
