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“We couldn’t save our first two daughters when we had the chance. Both of them died in 2010 and since then we’ve been living with the guilt of not being able to save them. What's even more devastating is that now, our only daughter Suguna is also affected with the same disease that took our two girls.” - Kanaka Mahalaxmi, mother
Kanaka Mahalaxmi and Parades lost their first two daughters to Thalassemia, the same disease that their youngest daughter, Suguna, was diagnosed with at just 6 months old.
They have been able to keep her alive with timely transfusions
Suguna suffers from thalassemia, a severe blood disease due to which her body cannot produce enough blood cells. She needs to undergo blood transfusions every 15 days.Life has never been easy for Suguna. While kids of her age would run around in the streets, Suguna would be gasping for breath if she even walked for a few monutes. She can't mingle or play with other children because of her condition.
“Every time she feels a sudden ache in her body, she immediately kneels down and prays to God for the pain to go away or else she might have to get those painful transfusions. She’s scared of going to the hospital and pleads with us to let her stay at home. But we just can't do that. We’ve already lost two of our daughters because we couldn’t provide timely transfusions, now we cannot risk losing her too..” - Kanaka Mahalaxmi
Suguna’s parents were able to add a few more years to her life with timely transfusions, but it has affected other parts of her body. Her liver and spleen have enlarged due to high ferritin levels in her body. Further blood transfusions would only affect other organs of her body. She needs an urgent bone marrow transplant.
Suguna believes she will never have to see a hospital again if she gets a bone marrow transplant
“When she asked me why she’s so weak, unlike other kids, and why she has to go to the hospital every month, when her friends don't go often, we had to tell her about her disease. She was in tears and was scared that she was going to die. But I assured her that once she gets a bone marrow transplant, she won’t have to go through all this. Now she keeps asking us when she’ll get the transplant. I cannot tell her that I can’t afford it otherwise she will lose her hope to live.” - Parades, father
Paradesi is a cab driver whose earnings aren’t enough to continue Suguna’s blood transfusions, let alone afford the transplant. Even if they continue her transfusions, its side effects are adverse. He doesn’t have the money or the help to afford INR 44 lakhs for his daughter's transplant.
Suguna, like any other kid, loves to draw and she’s said to have the best handwriting in her class. She’s fond of science and dreams of becoming a doctor in the future so that she can treat children suffering like her, free of cost. Her parents have gone to great lengths for her monthly blood transfusions. They now seek your help to put an end to their daughter’s suffering. The transplant is their last option at saving their only daughter.
Please help Suguna. You can give her a second chance at life.
