I would like to run and appeal for Shobha,
a fifteen-year-old bright student who lives with her two siblings and her
parents in Sangli, Maharashtra. Her intelligence has been a source of wonder
among her peers. However, her condition has forced her to miss out on lectures
and attend school only during examinations. The woes of Shobha began with pain
in her head and feet, which soon developed into low blood count, cognitive loss
and breathing complications. Doctors diagnosed her with Chronic Kidney Disease
and she needs an urgent kidney transplant. According to the doctors at
Maharashtra’s Nanavati Max Superspeciality Hospital (5.8 km from Bandra Railway
Station), her treatment would cost Rs 13 lakhs plus.
Shobha distracts her mind through studies, but the
painful dialysis continues to serve as a reminder that her time might be short.
Her parents wish their daughter could live a healthy life, but such a huge
amount is impossible for a couple, who make meagre earnings as a shopkeeper
(soda center) and domestic helper.