Share
"Manikandan was always the rock of our family. He stepped in after our father got bedridden. He was taking care of all of us. He was our hope. I never imagined he would end up bedridden like this, struggling just to breathe on full-time oxygen support. It's heartbreaking to see him now, a shadow of the person he used to be. He wanted to become a teacher and a guiding light for children..”- Bhanumati, mother
Manikandan, an MA-B.Ed graduate was on the verge of finding a job when, in 2018, his life took an unexpected turn. He was badly injured while breaking up a fight between neighbors. He was hit in a way that led to a severe blood clot in his breathing tube. Despite undergoing multiple tests and treatments, the blockage just wouldn’t clear. In 2019, he was admitted to JIPMER Hospital in Pondicherry, where the clot was finally removed. However, he suddenly vomited blood, and doctors found that the right side of his heart wasn’t functioning properly, causing further damage to his lungs and other organs. Since then, his health has steadily declined.
‘He thinks of himself as a burden…he does not like to see anyone struggle because of him’
Manikandan’s condition has now reached a critical stage. Three months ago, doctors confirmed his heart and lungs are severely weakened. They’ve told the family that the only way to save his life is through an urgent heart and lung transplant. Without it, Manikandan’s struggles will worsen, and his life expectancy will be cut drastically short. Doctors have warned that this transplant must happen within the next month if he is to survive.
"He feels he’s a burden now. He tells us to leave him, abandon him somewhere. He’s lost hope for himself, and it pains us all. But we don’t want to give up. I cannot imagine life without my brother; we want to save him no matter what.”- Kalaimani, sister
‘We don’t have the funds to save him; but we will never give up’
Manikandan’s mother describes the struggle of caring for him, saying, “We are doing everything we can to care for him.” She and her daughter work tirelessly in the fields, farming from dawn to dusk, while his younger brother Thamizhagan helps out whenever possible. Yet, despite their relentless efforts, the medical expenses are staggering – far beyond what they can cover with their hard-earned income. To date, they’ve spent nearly 30 lakh rupees, selling their land and borrowing from relatives to afford Manikandan’s treatments. The family’s resources are drained, yet the cost of the transplant and necessary aftercare is estimated to be an additional 35 lakh rupees. Despite the odds, they are determined to find a way to save him.
"Our resources are exhausted, but our love and desire to save him are unyielding. He deserves a chance to live, to breathe freely, to be with us. He had such a bright future…everything is gone now. But I don't believe that this is the end for him. I feel like he can fund his way back to life if he gets the heart and lung transplant.”- Kalaimani
Manikandan’s family is seeking support to give him the life-saving transplant he so desperately needs.
Click here to contribute.
EIN 20-5139364
