Arnav Gupta

On September 16, 2021, MOHAN Foundation’s “Anudaan- Making Transplants Affordable” team received an email from Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru requesting financial aid for Master Goutham BM’s Liver Transplant. He was presented to the hospital with acute liver failure, also known as fulminant hepatic failure, which can cause serious complications, including excessive bleeding and increasing pressure in the brain. It’s a medical emergency that requires hospitalization. The child was immediately shifted to ICU as he needed an urgent liver transplant.   

Goutham, aged 3 years, belongs to a poor family in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. His mother, Madhulatha G is the sole breadwinner in the family. She works as a coolie, earning Rs. 5,000/per month. With the meager income, it was very difficult for her to take care of the family going as well as bear the huge medical expenses of her son. Goutham was just 8 months old when he first showed signs of illness. His eyes were pale and he complained of stomach ache. His liver had started to fail but with early diagnosis and preliminary treatment at a local hospital in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, he was able to recover. But, the mother’s pain didn’t end there. Her husband left her stranded with their only child.

“I stood strong to be both his mother and father. I was somehow managing our expenses and trying my best to put food on the table by working hard as a daily wager. But, the challenges in my journey kept becoming bigger.” Shared the mother, with immense sadness in her heart.

In August 2021, Goutham fell severely sick. He was shaking uncontrollably and his teeth were chattering. At first Madhulatha thought that her son was feeling cold. But, her gut told her that something was not quite right. She rushed her son to the hospital, took multiple opinions but the Gouthma’s health condition did not improve. Goutham was then referred to Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore. His health continued to deteriorate on their way to the hospital. The 3-hour-long ride in the ambulance felt like the mother’s worst nightmare as she saw her son slip into unconsciousness. Upon reaching the hospital, the doctors told her, that Goutham was having a seizure and needed to be operated immediately and put on ventilator support.

“Every day, it felt like my son was growing distant from me and that I was losing him. No child should have to go through such misery and for so long. I didn’t want to lose my only child… My husband had already abandoned us. His health was deteriorating significantly as a result of this rare disease that was consuming him. It broke my heart to see my son in such pain” Madhulatha said.

 

Madhulatha shared her poor economic condition with the treating team and that she was helpless and could not afford to bear such a huge cost of her son’s liver transplant, i.e. Rs. 15 Lakh. It was simply beyond her means. A ray of hope came to her when she heard about MOHAN Foundation’s lifesaving initiative- Anudaan by Dr. Sonal Asthana, a Senior Consultant of HPB & Liver Transplant Surgery at Aster CMI Hospital. She was informed that Aster CMI Hospital would approach MOHAN Foundation for financial aid in an effort to save her beloved son’s life.

Anudaan Team closely considered the request and after receiving the required information and the relevant documents, decided to support Master Goutham BM with his liver transplant. MOHAN Foundation motivated the hospital to give some discount in transplant cost as the family’s economic condition is poor. MOHAN Foundation contributed 3 lakhs and with support from other NGOs, Goutham successfully underwent a liver transplant on September 17, 2021. The mother happily came forward to donate a portion of her liver for saving her son’s life. Both surgeries of mother and son were successful. 

“I am very happy now. I would like to express my happiness and gratitude towards MOHAN Foundation for saving my son’s life by giving financial support. Only because of MOHAN Foundation, my child is alive today. I am a poor lady, hardly able to feed my child, how could I then afford the transplant cost?  Now both my son and me are happy and slowly trying to come to a normal life. My special thanks to MOHAN Foundation.”- Madhulatha G, mother