Arnav Gupta

On October 29, 2021, Anudaan- Making Transplants Affordable” team received an email from Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, New Delhi requesting financial aid for Master Devyansh Dev, diagnosed with Extrahepatic Biliary Atresia (EHBA), an inflammatory sclerosing cholangiopathy, which is the leading indication for liver transplantation in children. Devyansh required an urgent liver transplant and given the fact that family wasn’t well off, the hospital undertook to support the transplant by raising funds for the same.

Devyansh, age 6 months hails from Madhubani, Bihar and belongs to a low-income family that could never afford such an expensive transplant, without the support provided by ‘Anudaan – Making Transplants Affordable’. Devyansh’s father works as a social worker, earning a meagre salary which is not enough to pay even for the family’s living expenses.

“Losing a child is every parent’s worst nightmare. I never imagined I would have to stand by helplessly as my son fought for his life,” the anguished father said. Devyansh was born healthy, weighting 4 kgs and nobody could have ever imagined that after a few days, he would be experiencing the most painful journey to undergo an intense liver transplant. When he was just 15 days old, his eyes and body started turning pale with intermittent fever and his stomach started to swell. The parents immediately rushed to   Sewa Sadan Hospital in Darbhanga, Bihar, where he was admitted for 5 days. He was kept on a ventilator and tests were performed. Unfortunately, there was no improvement in his health. The lockdown due to corona pandemic worsened the family’s situation. There were fewer doctors and staff at the hospital and limited services due to lockdown which affected Devyansh’s health.

As advised by some senior family members, Devyansh was taken back to his hometown. Some family members thought that ayurvedic home remedies could improve his health but his health was getting worst day by day, so the parents decided to take him to a well-known hospital for children in Darbhanga. They went to Jai Maa Shishu Seva Sadan, where they received a shocking news that their son was having some serious problem with his gallbladder and that it had to operated soon to avoid further infections. The tiny infant had to bear the terrible cuts and pain. After few days, Devyansh was discharged from the hospital with a hope that his health would improve. “I was filled with relief when he was discharged. Since the day he was born, I have been a wreck, and anxious about my baby’s health. I thought the worst was behind us when we were told he was fit to go home.”– father said.

After 3 months, Devyansh’s health again started deteriorating. He was then taken to Ramwati Nursing Home, Patna, where few tests and liver biopsy were done. The parents were informed that their son was suffering from chronic liver disease and needed immediate liver transplant so that his life could be saved. The parents were stunned! 

He was referred to AIIMS, New Delhi for further treatment. The doctors informed that Devyansh was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia and there was no other treatment to improve Devyansh’s health condition. The parents were also informed that liver transplant was the only option to save their son’s life. The cost of the transplant was estimated to be around Rs. 19.5 lakh, which was beyond the family’s financial limit. During the discussion with the doctors at AIIMS, the parents came to know about Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, New Delhi, where they could receive some hope and financial support for their son’s liver transplant.

Devyansh was taken to Max Super Speciality Hospital, where the parents had a discussion with the Senior Consultant, Pediatric Neonatology about their son’s health condition and their financial status. “After spending all our savings on his previous medical bills, we no longer have the means to help our son. We are afraid that we are going to lose our baby before even his first birthday. We need your support to save his life. Please, help us before it’s too late for our little boy.”-parents requested the doctor. They received positive response and were informed about crowd funding and MOHAN Foundation’s Anudaan for financial support for the transplant. 

MOHAN Foundation contributed Rs. 3 Lakh for the transplant and with the support from few other NGOs and Max hospital’s subsidised transplant cost, Devyansh successfully underwent a liver transplant on December 31, 2021.

Both Devyansh and his mother, who happily donated a portion of her liver to his beloved son, are recovering well. His body has accepted the new organ. All his reports so far have also been showing positive progress. The parents are excited to see their son growing and enjoying his childhood. They have a desire that their son joins Indian Army one day so that he could serve his country in a same way as he received support and blessings from well-wishers from different parts of the country.

“We are extremely grateful to MOHAN Foundation’s Anudaan team for all their support.”– Jyoti Gupta, Mother.

“Thank you so much MOHAN Foundation for supporting our son’s liver transplant. May your Foundation continue to grow and keep helping underprivileged people like us.”– Rajiv Prasad Gupta, Father.