Sayali Cannot Walk Due To Breathlessness Caused By Her Failing Heart And Lungs - She Needs To Be Saved

“Back in 2006, when she was first diagnosed, the doctors said that she wouldn’t survive the next few years. It’s been 12 years since and she has fought hard by being very positive. Now, she just wants to get better and even help people who are going through the same. But, she must get the transplants soon.” – Lata, Sayali’s mother

Sayali and her mother, Lata

18-year-old Sayali has been suffering from a severely progressive pulmonary hypertension since 2006. Not only has she beat the odds of survival but she also has extremely noble goals too. Now, after all these years, her condition is very critical and she needs a heart and lung transplant immediately. Over the years, her parents have given everything they had to keep her alive but now, they have nothing left to provide for her life-saving transplants.

Sayali is critical and she’s barely able to walk

When Sayali was 6 years old, back in 2006, she would get dizzy, lose consciousness, and fall. She would keep throwing up and her body was very weak. She was soon diagnosed to be a case of Pulmonary Hypertension, a rare condition of increased blood pressure in arteries of the heart and lungs.



Sayali gets breathless and is unable to perform any physical activity like a normal child. Surviving on oxygen and medicines for all these years, in December 2017, Sayali fainted because of the lack of oxygen in her system.  She was admitted to the hospital and her pulmonary pressure, which is around 20 for a normal person, was found to be dangerously too high at 108.

This is a strong indicator of the fact that her condition had worsened and she is at high risk of heart and lung failure. Her condition is very critical and she is unable to breathe normally.


Lazarus and Sayali at a hospital

“She gets breathless very quickly. She can’t even walk for more than a minute. It’s that bad. She can’t breathe normally and doesn’t go anywhere without taking the oxygen with her. The cardiologist said that her condition has progressed a lot since diagnosis. This condition normally leads to heart and lung failure quickly.” – Lata, sounding very sad

Currently, Sayali is in Chennai awaiting a heart and lung transplant, which are her only hopes of survival. She also needs to undergo physiotherapy every day to aid her heart function better.

Sayali takes 15-16 medicines and 2 liters of oxygen in a day

Sayali’s condition has worsened since she was first diagnosed. She gets breathless so quickly that now, she’s aided by a machine and takes around 2 liters of oxygen, every day. To reduce her heart pressure, and keep other anomalies in check, she takes an assortment of medicines. She consumes around 15-16 tablets a day.

Sayali has had a far-from-normal childhood

“When she was first diagnosed, the doctors said that she wouldn’t live for more than 3 years. They said that I should let her do what she wants and love her. But, she has stayed alive for over 12 years now. I have always been positive and she has been very strong. She has beaten the odds of survival but she couldn’t play or be active like other kids. She didn’t go to school from class 4 onwards. Her teachers were nice enough to allow her to study from home. I’d take her to school once a year for exams. All these years, she has just sat at home and studied. She would watch other kids and feel very bad and cry too. As a mother, I couldn’t help but break down. She has a lot of wishes and she is positive that one day when she is better, she will fulfill them.” – Lata, while weeping

Sayali is very positive and has such noble goals

The 18-year-old is determined to get better and help people struggling with the same condition as her. She wants to start a foundation that would aid people suffering from similar conditions and help improve the quality of their lives. These are truly, very noble goals and the 18-year-old is nothing but inspirational.

“Her condition is progressive in nature but she has remained positive throughout. She wants to give hope to others who are suffering like her. She is excited and can’t wait to get better” – Lata

Sayali needs a heart and lung transplant immediately and her parents are trying their best to arrange the funds but are running out of time.

Lata and her husband, Lazarus, need help overcoming serious challenges

Sayali’s father, Lazarus, works as a clerk in Pune. Lata, to help with the rising costs, used to tutor kids at home. Over the years, together, they have exhausted every bit of savings they had for the various treatments Sayali needed. Their 21-year-old son, Gaurav, chose to start working after 12th to help his sister. He just started college and is studying and working too.

Currently, Sayali, Lata, and Gaurav traveled from Pune to Chennai for Sayali’s treatments. After Sayali’s incident in December, Lata and Lazarus spent over Rs. 3.5 lakhs just on the tests. Their relatives and friends have helped them and provided another Rs. 4.5 lakhs to support their stay in Chennai.


Sayali, Gaurav, and Lata at the hospital in Chennai

The total cost of the heart and lung transplant alone is around Rs. 36 lakhs. Lazarus and Lata, simply, cannot afford such high costs even if they worked for years.

“We are finding it very hard to deal with the daily expenses too. To live in another city is expensive. She needs physiotherapy and her medicines and oxygen cost around Rs. 10,000 per month alone.” – Lata

How you can help

18-year-old Sayali has no option but to get a heart and lung transplant as soon as possible, if she were to survive. She has been suffering from pulmonary hypertension since 2006 and her parents have given everything they had for her treatments up till now. They need your help to save her.

Your support will save 18-year-old Sayali

Supporting Document

The specifics of this case have been verified by the medical team at the concerned hospital. For any clarification on the treatment or associated costs, contact the campaign organizer or the medical team.

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