Five years ago, in a little village miles away from urban modernity, a young couple had a baby boy. He grew up slower than others like him, was often breathless, and caught chest colds easily.
And on his fifth birthday, he weighed barely 10 kilograms.
His grandfather finally had had enough. Scraping together his meager resources, he imposed on the boy’s parents to make the expensive, long trip they never had before – to Chennai. Travelling over 200 km. to the Hospital for Sick Children, they learned a shocking fact.
Arul Arasan had a heart birth defect!
In a hurry, the unsuspecting, naive family had to make the disturbing transition to making rushed preparations for their child’s major heart surgery. A procedure that would save his life – but also place it at risk while it was performed. An operation that would cost more than the entire family could earn in 5 years!
Fortunately our State has a Government sponsored program (see section 1.8 for more on “Ilam Sirar Idaya Aruvai Sickichai Thittam“) where partial subsidy for surgery to treat congenital heart defects is available at a select group of hospitals that meet the high standards of safety and technical competence needed to carry out such a complex procedure.
And one of them is the center where our non-profit, the Dr.Mani Children Heart Foundation, carries out our program to sponsor treatment for children from under-privileged families.
Arul was referred to us with a working diagnosis of Ventricular Septal Defect, a relatively simple condition to repair. However, a further shock was in store for the family.
When the child was screened again prior to surgery, a more serious defect was revealed – one that was almost completely blocking the smooth passage of blood to the boy’s lungs.
No wonder he weighed less than half of what other normal, healthy kids his age did!
Now the odds shifted. The operation to fix his condition became immediately more risky, more complex, more costly.
But we were committed to giving the tiny tot with a charming, shy smile a fighting chance. I discussed the changed circumstances with the family. “We trust in God to guide us,” said Arul’s grandpa. “And your team.”
On Friday, 20th November, I performed the delicate operation, assisted by our wonderful team of very experienced professionals. It went smoothly.
For a couple of days, the frail young warrior bravely fought the ravages that disease (and the complex treatment) wrought on his body.
And he won.
Yesterday, I asked him to smile for the camera. He did, tired but happy. See this…
People like you made this smile possible.
This, and 47 others like it.
Thank you – from my heart!
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