This Supermom Needs Urgent Help To Save Her 1-year-old Baby From Heart Failure

Meet Priya. She is a supermom. Her husband, Malai Murugan, has taken a job in a Pollachi loom factory to earn a living for his family. Priya is raising her children alone in a Madurai village, while also taking care of her elderly father-in-law. In fact, Priya is fighting hard by herself to save her 1-year-old son’s life from a fatal heart disease.

A tough decision keeps this family afloat

When they found out Priya was having another baby, Malai knew he could no longer take daily wage jobs. He had a responsibility to the family. He knew how to work with loom machines and sought work at the nearest factory. Unfortunately, the decision meant that he would have to live in another town, and rarely visit his family.

“It was very hard. I do not have my parents here. I was learning to care for my oldest son who was just a year old at that time. I knew how important this is for us, and somehow coped with the loneliness. My husband could only visit for a day or two when our second son, Riyasith was born.”

She was alone when she discovered that her infant has a fatal heart disease

Priya was happy to be occupied with her children. Within 3 months, a cloud of dread began looming over the family home in Mathur. Riyasith had caught a cold. Priya tried every natural remedy she ever learned from her mother and grandmother. Nothing worked. She went to a local doctor, who sent her to the city.

“They did so many tests. The doctor asked for my husband. He could not make it, so I had to hear it first-hand. Riyasith was born with several heart defects including a hole in the chambers and a blocked blood vessel. His lungs are being affected because of the high blood pressure. I thought I would lose my son.”

Time has flown by and Priya cannot wait anymore

Priya bounced from hospital to hospital, travelled from Madurai to Chennai and back to find a hospital that could treat her son. Finally, at Devadoss she found hope. Riyasith’s underweight body was not strong enough to survive an intensive open-heart surgery. He needed to gain a few kilos first.

“He chokes when he drinks milk. It has been over two months, and still he has not put on any weight. The worst part is his disease is getting worse. Sometimes his eyes just go all the way back in his heart and he starts breathing like there is no air. He loses consciousness. I have to keep trying to wake him, dreading he won’t this time.”

Supermom needs your help

Riyasith goes to the hospital 4 times a week because of such complications. Priya travels with him by bus for 1.5 hours to get to the hospital, and back home. In a week, she ends up spending Rs. 4000 on medicines and travel. Riyasith is in such a situation where he needs this surgery as soon as possible. For the surgery, Priya needs Rs. 2.5 Lakhs, money that she does not have. Malai is working extra hours and Priya is asking everyone she knows for help.

“This time, the doctor said we cannot wait anymore for him to gain weight. The hospital is kind, and do not even charge us for consult. I only buy medicines and pay for lab tests. The problem again, is that, Malai makes only Rs. 9000. We lose it all in less than a month.”

Priya has been brave, fighting this battle for her child. She makes time for her older son as well, ensuring he does not feel neglected while also attending to her father-in-law. She knows the trouble her husband is going through and hence requests for your help to save her son.

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.

Click here to save Riyasith