Praveen’s house is among the one of many houses cramped up in the hustling bylanes of Delhi. A driver by profession and father of 3 boys, he led a simple life. His parents, wife, kids and his work kept him occupied. But the Holi of 2014 steered his life into some unexpected struggles.
Hole in the Heart
Mayank had a history of shortness of breath and cold hands and feet. But little did Praveen know that these could be symptoms HLHS. Like any other 2 year old, they thought Mayank’s symptoms were a result of extreme Delhi winters. “Holi mein toh bahut thand hoti hai. Hume laga zukam hoga.”,Mayank’s mother mentioned. But when on a routine evening Mayank collapsed while playing, Praveen knew it was not a case of common cold. He was rushed into the closest government hospital. The consulting doctor immediately ran few tests and days later it was confirmed that Mayank has Hypoplastic Down’s Phenotype Syndrome. It is a rare congenital heart defect in which the left side of the heart is severely underdeveloped. Since that day, Mayank has been under constant medical care.
3 years of Wait List for a Govt Aided Operation
To fix this defect, Mayank needs a open heart surgery. But with his limited income, he can only afford it in a government hospital which would cost him around 2-2.5 lakhs. However, the waitlist for such operations is 3 to 5 years. With Mayank condition, this “waiting time” might cost him his life. Such is the harsh reality of Govt Aided Programmes. Which is why a surgery in a private hospital is the only viable option right now. But the cost of operation in a private hospital will cost approximately 7-8 lakhs.
How can you help?
Praveen is a UBER driver. With constant visits to the hospitals, his service time has dropped. His wife is a homemaker. His 2 other sons study in class 1 and 3. His income is barely enough to cover his monthly expenses. Arranging for medicines and test since March 2014 has already been a struggle. It's not easy for a parent to see his child flight a disease this grave. Your support can help Mayank reclaim his childhood. Contribute now and help Mayank.
Click here to learn how you can help Mayank undergo an open heart surgery.
