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“I am my parents’ only child. They have great hopes for me. But all my life, I have been struggling one way or the other. I can’t even walk now. And my mother cannot take care of me because she too limps as a result of a leg issue. My father has to both be a caretaker and a provider for me and my mother now. Why is life so unkind to us?” - Aarthi, trying to hold back tears.
For 27-year-old Aarthi, life's path unfurled like a storybook, each chapter marked by unexpected twists and unforeseen challenges. Diagnosed with Wilson's disease at a tender age in 2007, her childhood was shaped by caution and isolation. School life unfolded behind protective barriers, shielding her from the carefree laughter and shared adventures with her peers. Growing up, even simple things like having lunch with friends or playing on the playground felt like far-off wishes for Aarthi because of her health condition.
Hope turned to despair and suffering again
“She has lived with Wilson’s disease for a long long time. She had to eat medicines and be careful every second of her existence. And then finally she got her liver transplant in 2016. We believed that her suffering had ended once and for all, but that’s not what happened.” - Venkatesan, Aarthi’s father
During her BCA studies, Aarthi had a big surgery at a government hospital to get a new liver. Everyone hoped it would make her life better. But after the surgery, things got really hard. The steroids that she had to take to get better, actually damaged her hip joints. She is now unable to walk without support.
"She was supposed to get surgery in 2018 when the pain in her hips first started, but she suffered another issue in her bile duct which required urgent surgery. My poor girl’s life has been full of doctors’ appointments and surgeries. She doesn’t deserve this." - Pouviarassy, Aarthi’s mother.
Her father is doing everything he can…but it's not enough
Venkatesan, an auto driver worked hard day and night to earn money, but no matter how much he worked, it wasn't enough for the huge hospital bills. He had to beg and borrow to arrange money for her liver transplant, and is still in debt. At the same time, Aarthi's mom, who had her own leg problems to deal with, was always there for Aarthi, supporting her through everything.
"Even though the liver transplant happened at a government hospital, we still had to shell out INR 10 lakhs for medicines, tests and other costs. She needed medicines after that too which cost money. I am happy to take care of my daughter until I die but I won’t be able to arrange the INR 8 lakhs needed for her hip replacement, please help me." - Venkatesan.
Aarthi wants to live a life free of pain and suffering. She wants to be able to walk again, and continue her studies and embark on a new path. Won’t you help her?
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