On December 18, 2023, MOHAN Foundation’s Anudaan- “Making Transplants Affordable” team received an email from Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, requesting financial aid for liver transplant of Baby Ruhi, who was suffering from chronic liver disease.
Baby Ruhi, age 6 months, hails from Hongly, West Bengal. She was being looked after by her mother (a single parent) and her maternal grandparents who did farming and tailoring for their survival. With the insufficient family income, it was difficult for them to pay huge cost of Ruhi’s liver transplant, estimated around Rs 15 lakhs.
Ruhi’s health began to deteriorate shortly after she was born. Her abdomen swelled, and her eyes took on a yellow hue, signaling the onset of jaundice. Despite receiving medication that initially alleviated her symptoms, they soon resurfaced, worsening her condition. Following a battery of tests, her mother received the diagnosis of chronic liver disease, attributed to secondary hepatitis biliary arteria. With her liver function plummeting to just 10%, doctors advocated for a life-saving liver transplant. Despite being a single mother, she spared no effort in seeking the best treatment for her child, leading them to Aster CMI Hospital in Bengaluru. Subsequent tests revealed that the mother was a perfect match for the transplant.
The family then discussed about their economic challenges with the doctors at Aster CMI hospital. The parents were informed about MOHAN Foundation’s Anudaan, with support from Anudaan and few other NGOs, Baby Ruhi underwent a liver transplant on December 22, 2023.
Sadly, despite the transplant, Ruhi passed away on January 23, 2024. The MOHAN Foundation extended support to the grieving family, recognizing their struggles, and disbursed the approved sum of Rs. 2,50,000 for the liver transplant.
