Chennai doctors resort to crowd sourcing to raise funds, save life of 3-yr-old
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:8.5.2019
Almost every organ in the three-year-old boy failed and his family members told doctors that they did not have money for an emergency liver transplant. But the doctors weren’t ready to give up — they used high-end machines and medication to treat the kid with a ₹12lakh fund they had crowdsourced.
In April, Radhesh developed high fever. His sugar level rose and he was unconscious. He was referred to Apollo Children’s Hospital. Doctors said he would require a liver transplant.
His father Varadarajan, who runs a transport company, told doctors he had just ₹1 lakh. “We told doctors we couldn’t afford ₹20 lakh for a liver,” he said. But doctors promised to help.
For initial treatment, they used money left behind from the crowdsourced fund for other children and also put out messages on social media to raise funds for the boy.
In a few hours, his liver condition worsened and he slipped into coma. Scans showed he had a swollen brain and kidney failure. “He had no urine output and his blood clotting mechanisms failed. We feared he would die waiting for an organ,” said chief of paediatric ICU Dr Suchitra Ranjit. By then the doctors had made the diagnosis – it was fulminant liver failure. It led to build-up of toxins in the liver. The condition causes brain swelling, affects heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs and bone marrow besides inducing infections and disables body’ ability to clot blood. Senior liver transplant surgeons recommended immediate transplant. Doctors screened at least three living and two cadaveric donors for liver, but none of them suited Radhesh.
Things changed on the sixth day. “His liver, which was totally damaged, began to recover. His brain swelling decreased and kidney function improved,” said Dr Ranjit. He recovered consciousness in the next two days and on the ninth day, he was weaned off life supports. The hospital, meanwhile, managed to crowdsource money to foot the entire bill. “We told family he doesn’t need a liver transplant. His organs are working well,” she said.
When Radhesh came for a review on Tuesday, he told reporters he was excited about starting school. “I will grow up to be a cricketer,” he said.
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:8.5.2019
Almost every organ in the three-year-old boy failed and his family members told doctors that they did not have money for an emergency liver transplant. But the doctors weren’t ready to give up — they used high-end machines and medication to treat the kid with a ₹12lakh fund they had crowdsourced.
In April, Radhesh developed high fever. His sugar level rose and he was unconscious. He was referred to Apollo Children’s Hospital. Doctors said he would require a liver transplant.
His father Varadarajan, who runs a transport company, told doctors he had just ₹1 lakh. “We told doctors we couldn’t afford ₹20 lakh for a liver,” he said. But doctors promised to help.
For initial treatment, they used money left behind from the crowdsourced fund for other children and also put out messages on social media to raise funds for the boy.
In a few hours, his liver condition worsened and he slipped into coma. Scans showed he had a swollen brain and kidney failure. “He had no urine output and his blood clotting mechanisms failed. We feared he would die waiting for an organ,” said chief of paediatric ICU Dr Suchitra Ranjit. By then the doctors had made the diagnosis – it was fulminant liver failure. It led to build-up of toxins in the liver. The condition causes brain swelling, affects heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs and bone marrow besides inducing infections and disables body’ ability to clot blood. Senior liver transplant surgeons recommended immediate transplant. Doctors screened at least three living and two cadaveric donors for liver, but none of them suited Radhesh.
Things changed on the sixth day. “His liver, which was totally damaged, began to recover. His brain swelling decreased and kidney function improved,” said Dr Ranjit. He recovered consciousness in the next two days and on the ninth day, he was weaned off life supports. The hospital, meanwhile, managed to crowdsource money to foot the entire bill. “We told family he doesn’t need a liver transplant. His organs are working well,” she said.
When Radhesh came for a review on Tuesday, he told reporters he was excited about starting school. “I will grow up to be a cricketer,” he said.
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