"Three years ago, when I held my baby in my arms for the first time, I had so many dreams and plans for his future. Just 2 hours after his birth, I saw his little arms just flop down by his side and his body turn completely blue. As the nurse lifted him out of her crib, he had stopped breathing. Since then, I remember just saying over and over again "I want him back". When I conceived after 3 long years, I felt like I got him back, but this time also, the nurse whisked him away to NICU soon after his birth and I kept repeating "I want him back" - Mariya, Mother.
Mariya's 9-month-old baby is born with heart disease and his life is at risk. He needs an open heart surgery at the earliest to survive. Mariya and her husband cannot imagine experiencing the loss of another child. They need your help to save their baby.
As the parents feared, the baby was born with heart disease but he has a chance to fight it
Mariya and her husband Dhanapal knew she had to be extra cautious when she got pregnant for the second time. Despite their poverty, she never missed any appointments with the doctor and underwent all necessary tests and scans. They received positive news every time until the 9th month scan. It was then they were told the baby's heart beats sound 'different' and he might have a heart disease. The poor couple were devastated and prayed every second for the baby's health. Unfortunately, they noticed his lips turning blue within a few hours of his birth, beginning the chain of events that led to a frightening diagnosis. The baby has multiple heart defects, pulmonary atresia, a circulatory condition in which narrowed blood vessels reduce blood flow to the limbs, Atrioventricular Septal Defect (AVCD) A hole in the heart wall (septum) that separates the two atria, which are the upper chambers of the heart. 
"Initially, he was given medicines but now the condition has worsened. Within a few minutes of feeding, he falls short of breath. He cries uncontrollably for hours and whenever his body turns blue, we rush him to hospital, only to hear it again and again that surgery is the only option to put an end to his suffering." - Dhanapal.
The poor parents cannot afford the open heart surgery for their baby
Although they felt relieved when the doctors said there is still a chance for the baby to recover, it was painful for them to realize that they cannot afford it. They named their baby after their family God 'Sembalai Pandi' hoping that their God would safeguard his life. Mariya has pinned all her hopes on her baby. She refuses to leave him alone even for a minute and she is waiting for a 'miracle' to happen.
"It has been 9 months and still we haven't found a way for his surgery. Not a day has passed without asking for help. We skip meals to buy medicines and we take him for regular check ups. We feel extremely guilty that we are not able to do anything for him." - Mariya.
You Can Help Mariya's Baby Fight Heart Disease
Dhanapal works in a small bakery and he gets around Rs 400 per day but in the last few months, he has hardly been regular to work because most of the days he has to shuttle between home and hospital. He needs Rs 6 lakhs to get the surgery done but this is beyond his means. They don't have anything to sell and are waiting desperately for help. Mariya's fear of losing this child is breaking her every day. You can help her live the life that she dreamt.Your contribution can help Mariya save her only baby from a dreadful heart disease
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.
