"Maa, I don’t want to stay here. Please take me home,” six-year-old Akshaya cries, lying on her ICU bed. Her mother, Sujata, sits beside her and gently brushed her hair, but she keeps crying in pain.
Sujatha’s was a world of limited means, but with her daughter Akshaya and husband by her side, it was beautiful in its own way. However, everything came crashing down when doctors told Sujatha that the fever Akshaya was suffering wasn’t just a viral fever that she would recover from with the help of a few tablets. Akshaya was diagnosed with a disease that threatens to take the child's life - a viral fever with thrombocytopenia, which is a condition in which patients have a really low blood platelet count. Akshaya is in a critical condition and needs to be admitted to a hospital urgently, or she may not make it. However, the treatment costs Rs 5 lakh, and they need it URGENTLY.
Losing their child is a heartbreaking thought for parents. But for Sujatha and her husband, this could be a harsh reality soon. Without hospital stay for 20 days, Akshaya, who’s is weakening every day, may not survive. Her condition is worsening steadily as time passes. Sujatha, whose husband works as a labourer in a chicken shop, is distraught. “He barely manages to make ends meet,” she says.
Sujata still remembers the horrific day when her daughter was diagnosed with the deadly disease. Back in October, she suddenly got a high fever. After a few days, she also noticed blood in her urine. After weeks of prolonged illness and medicines, they were told about her disease. “Since then, we are helplessly watching our daughter suffer endlessly,” Sujata says, with tears in her eyes. Her grief runs deep. She herself is suffering from tuberculosis while her younger son, Sudeep (3) is mute since his birth.
“She (Akshaya) has turned extremely weak. I feel helpless as I am in no position to comfort her. I haven’t been able to sleep and the thought of losing my child haunts me all day,” rues Sujatha.
At this crucial time, despite Sujatha and her husband’s best efforts, they have still not been able to put together enough. “We have already sold off our valuables and even taken loans from our family and friends, but we still are unable to fund our child’s life-saving treatment,” Sujatha says.
“I watch my child bear unimaginable pain while she is battling between life and death. We urgently need your support; else we will lose our child. Please help us,” Sujatha says.
They are now seeking your help, as their beloved daughter fights for her life. You can contribute to Akshaya’s treatment by clicking here.
This article was created in association with Ketto.