For the love of a daughter...

Hoping for the best: Ashas kidneys have failed, but her mothers spirit has not

The family of five depends on the meagre income earned by Padma’s eldest son, who had fractured his leg in an accident. The youngest is awaiting SSLC results.

The biggest blow for the unfortunate family came in 2009 when 16-year-old Asha developed a fever three months after she joined I PU. Asha passed her SSLC with good grades and secured ‘A’ certificate in NCC. Along with fever, Asha suffered acute headache, and was soon diagnosed with kidney failure.  

Padma took her to various hospitals in Kolar and Bangalore and spent nearly Rs seven lakh in a short span of two years for her treatment.  Asha has to undergo dialysis thrice a week which costs more than Rs 2,000 and an injection that costs Rs 850 every month along with seven types of tablets. She could afford to take only tablets and forgo the rest due to financial constraints.

Multiple treatment

Asha has undergone dialysis countless number of times in the last two years. Her trauma has exacerbated as she had to undergo multiple surgeries for fixation of an implant to facilitate dialysis. Two surgeries failed and now the implant has been fixed in the right hand.

Recently the doctors have cautioned risk to her life if the kidneys are not replaced immediately.  Padma has decided to donate one of her kidneys. Doctors in Victoria Hospital, Bangalore have said that it would cost Rs 60,000 just to check whether Asha’s body accepts her mother’s kidney.

Moreover, both of them will have to be on medication strictly for a month after the surgery which will require at least Rs 10,000, the doctors say.

Unable to bear the medical expenses of the daughter, Padma’s husband deserted the family. Padma began to work as a cook in the hostel run by the Social Welfare Department. As she had to take her daughter to doctors frequently, she couldn’t continue in the job.

The eldest son’s meagre earnings from repairing defunct borewells do not suffice to meet their basic needs. Donations from various organisations have not sufficed and Padma has pledged her ‘mangalasoothra’ to pool in money. With all the resources exhausted, Padma is now at her wit’s end.

To help

Those wanting to help Padma may contact her at 2nd Cross, Kote Road, Kolar.
Her savings bank account numbers are 31193264698 (State Bank of India) and 13039 (Pragati Grameena Bank).