JOIN USRs 18 crore raised through crowdfunding for Kerala boy's treatment
A crowdfunding initiative for an 18-month-old child in Kerala requiring Zolgensma, the medicine prescribed for the disease, costing around Rs. 18 crores has been achieved in a few days' time.
Mohammed, son of Rafeeq and Mariam hailing from Mattool in Kannur district in Kerala, has been suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a genetic disease affecting the central nervous system.
The medicine Zolgensma was prescribed for him, costing around Rs 18 crore for a single dose, which the middle-class family could not afford.
The couple's elder daughter Afra, who is 15, is also infected with the same disease, and owing to delay in diagnosis and treatment she is paralysed below the waist. Hence she could move around only in a wheelchair.
Some local people who came across the plight of the family initiated crowdfunding a few days back. In the initial few days itself, the family received around Rs. 4 crores. With the social media campaign for the child going viral over the last two days, the family received a call from their bank by Monday afternoon alerting that already Rs 18 core reached the account.
Rafeeq told a section of media that he never ever dreamt of raising such a huge amount. The family also appealed that since they already got the money required for treatment people may stop contributing further.