(photo of Poondev, Seetaram's father, and his two little boys in front of the hospital)
Stretch Goal! Sitaram's Upcoming Surgery
The family is doing better, mom Rani is in remission and is getting treated for her CML, and Sitaram's next reconstructive surgery is scheduled for this month. The two younger boys are in school and thriving, and they are all beginning to lead normal lives.
Please continue to support the family as Sitaram goes through his next three or four reconstructive surgeries to restore his mouth area. He still can't eat normally or close his mouth properly, and has no tongue and teeth. But he's living as normal a teenager life as possible, thanks to you!
Stretch Goal! Help Mom Rani with Medical Expenses
We are so grateful for your support, which has helped us hit our initial goal to assist Seetaram's family with food and housing for their stay in Mysore.
Now, let's keep it going and help their mom Rani with her medical emergency.
Soon after moving to their house, Rani experienced severe stomach pain. She went to the hospital but they were unable to help her (government hospital facilities are a challenge for many reasons). We transferred her to a quality medical facility, where the doctors diagnosed CML leukemia -- devastating news, especially after all that has happened to the family.
Poondev, Rani's husband, was told of the news by the doctor, and it was almost too much for him to bear. First, his son. Then, his mother in Bihar died. Now his wife.
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Poondev after hearing the news.Rani is in ICU for three days, where they are monitoring her blood pressure and other vitals. They have started medication to help reduce her white cell count but she still has spontaneous bleeding in her abdomen (the cause of her pain).
The initial estimation for the hospital stay is $1,500. Please consider making a donation to cover this additional expense.
On a good note, we took Poondev to see his younger sons (age 5 and 6), who are staying temporarily at our children's home. The boys were overjoyed to see dad! "Papa papa!" And then they told him everything they've been up to -- mostly playing like fiends -- and the hot meals they get (!) because they experienced several mealtimes with no food to eat.
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On July 30, Rani was discharged from the hospital, and we moved the entire family to our home, so they could be together -- for the first time since February they were not in a hospital! -- and we could better manage their situation.
On August 3, little Bharath and Lakshman, Sitaram's brothers, started school! They were really excited and looked very cute in their school uniforms.
Sitaram is well -- he is eating a lot so that he can gain weight for his next surgery at the end of September -- he won't be able to eat for a while after the surgery so is trying to eat a lot now. He has started tutoring at our home with our teachers.
Thank you again for your generous support.
Operation Shanti is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with charitable activities in Mysore, India (www.operation-shanti.org). Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by U.S. tax laws.
FUNDED: $1,800! Seetaram's Story
Seetaram, a teenager from Bihar who came to work in Mysore with his father, is the victim of a mobile phone that exploded in his face in February, severely injuring his mouth and jaw area.
Seetaram's parents -- manual laborers -- spent what money they had on his initial treatment at a private hospital. After they ran out of funds, the hospital discharged the boy and the family found themselves on the streets of Mysore.
The media got wind of the family's situation and the Mysore District Legal Services Authority stepped in to provide legal assistance to the family, and got Seetaram admitted to the local government hospital in June to continue his treatment.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/482573/legal-services-authority-rescue-mobile.html
The family has no money for daily meals and had no place to live, so they (father, mother, and two little brothers) slept on the hospital grounds. They sold just about everything they owned and beg for daily meals. Sometimes people help them with clothing, a few rupees, and other incidentals. But there are five mouths to feed, including Seetaram's two very cute little brothers.
The DCPU (District Child Protection Unit) of Mysore contacted us in mid-June for assistance, which is how we heard about the family's situation.
We've begun to provide the family with money for food and have found temporary housing for them. One of our street moms, Kumari, generously offered a small room in her small house in the slum to them.
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Rani (Seetaram's mom) and little Bharat at Kumari's house
Seetaram's dad plans to search for more permanent housing but now Rani, the boys' mother, has been admitted to the hospital with a mass in her pelvic area. The two little boys are now with us at our children's home, and dad spends his days at the hospital with Seetaram and his wife.
Seetaram has three more reconstructive surgeries to undergo in Mysore (covered by the government hospital), expected to take another 8 to 9 months. We will post updates on Rani's condition as we learn more.
Please consider making a donation to help us continue to help Seetaram and his family.
Thanks so much for your care and concern. No family should be forced to live on the streets.
Operation Shanti is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with charitable activities in Mysore, India (
www.operation-shanti.org). Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by U.S. tax laws.