Master Chethan K.M, Liver Transplant on February 17, 2023

On February 17, 2023, MOHAN Foundation's Anudaan- 'Making Transplants Affordable' team received an email from Aster CMI hospital, Bengaluru requesting financial aid for Master Chethan K.M's liver transplant. The child was suffering from liver cirrhosis and needed an urgent transplantation.

Master Chethan KM, age 1.3 years, hails from Kolar Taluk, Kolar, Karnataka. He belongs to a poor family. His father is a primary school teacher (private job), earning poor monthly salary. He is the sole earner in the family. With the meager income, it was very hard for him to pay the huge cost of the liver transplant, which was estimated around Rs. 15 lakhs.

At the time of admission at Aster CMI hospital, his eyes were bright yellow filled with pain and fear. He was frequently crying and every tear was a reminder that he didn't have much time left if the transplant was not performed on time. "For 8 long years, we yearned for someone to call us, mamma & papa. When we first learnt of the pregnancy, our happiness knew no bounds! And the day the doctors informed us that we were going to be parents of twin babies, we were over the moon.' -said the parents. 'We hoped and prayed for 9 months and welcomed two healthy babies, but we didn't know that just days after their birth, we would be fighting to save one of our babies.' shared the distressed parents.

Chethan started experiencing severe health issues right after his birth. The parents had taken him for a health checkup when the doctors at a local hospital, informed them to get their son checked for jaundice. His eyes were yellow, which was the matter of concern for the doctors. That was the beginning of the nightmare for the parents. He was referred to Aster CMI hospital for further treatment. After multiple tests and scans, Chethan was diagnosed with decompensated chronic liver disease. The child had already spent the previous year of his life in extreme pain. 'Our poor son kept crying all the time. He was just one year old, and no baby should be forced to fight for his life. The doctors informed us that our son's liver had completely failed and the only way to save his life was a liver transplant at the earliest.'-said the parents.

The estimated cost of the liver transplant was Rs. 15 lakhs. The parents had somehow brought their child at Aster CMI hospital and continued his treatment and medicines for the last one year by taking loans from their friends and relatives. After a lot of discussion with the doctors at Aster CMI about family's poor economic situation, the family was informed about MOHAN Foundation's Anudaan. This news gave them an instant relief and a new hope. With the support from Anudaan, hospital's concession on the transplant and other NGOs, Master Chethan successfully underwent a liver transplant on March 07, 2023. Anudaan sanctioned Rs.1.5 lakhs towards his surgery.

Chethan is now doing extremely well. He is playful and mischievous. His parents wish that he becomes a professor in future.

'Many thanks and lot of gratitude to MOHAN Foundation for saving our son's life with their financial support. We regained our lives again.' Mr. Manjunatha K.M & Mrs. Shyamala A, parents.