Aishwarya Trust and a team of doctors, led by Dr. K.R, Balakrishnan from MGM Healthcare, Chennai, come together yet again to save another precious life.

Sharmila, aged ten years, lives with her parents and brother in the village of Arasur in Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu. Her father, Sayed John Basha, a tailor, and her homemaker mother, Rahmitbiwi manage their day-to-day living on a meager income. Sharmila used to fall ill frequently and was often experiencing shortness of breath. Unaware of the seriousness of their daughter’s condition, the parents hoped medications would help improve her health. On the insistence of a pharmacist, the parents brought the child for evaluation to the Aishwarya Trust Screening Camp at Cheyyar (Tiruvannamalai District) in December 2020.

Aishwarya Trust runs periodic screening camps for congenital heart defects(CHD). These camps form a critical pillar of the Trust’s CHD and Heart Transplant programme. Early screening is critical for early diagnosis and timely intervention.

Aishwarya Trust’s partner hospital, MGM Healthcare, Chennai doctors –  Dr. Ramya Shri, Senior Consultant, and Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Consultant (Paediatrics ) – lead these screening camps in partnership with the Tamil Nadu State Government under the RBSK programme. At the Cheyyar camp, Sharmila’s condition was diagnosed as Dilated Cardiomyopathy and was referred to MGM Healthcare for further evaluation and treatment. Worried about the unaffordable medical expenses likely to incur the parents hesitated to take Sharmila to a big city hospital. However, they were reassured by the doctors and the Aishwarya Trust staff not to worry about the expenses but to focus instead on saving the child’s life.

At MGM Healthcare, under the care of Dr. K.R. Balakrishnan, the child underwent further evaluation. Since the heart was functioning at only 10% capacity, it was determined that the child would require a heart transplant as the only hope for survival. Fortunately, after waiting for months, a suitable donor was identified in July 2021. Sharmila underwent a Paediatric heart transplant on July 24th and was discharged from the hospital on August 13th. As promised, Aishwarya Trust stepped in to provide financial support towards the cost of Pre-Transplant workup. The family also received aid from the Chief Minister’s Insurance Scheme to supplement the expenses towards the Transplant costs.

Recently, on August 28th, Sharmila was back for her follow-up with Dr. Rajesh at the Cheyyar Screening Camp. Her remarkable recovery and progress in a short time demonstrate how the advancement of modern medical interventions made it possible to bring new hope and life where none seem to exist before. Aishwarya Trust offers underprivileged families like Sharmila’s world-class care and treatment for congenital heart defects (CHD).

Sharmila’s parents are grateful for the financial support they received from Aishwarya Trust in saving their daughter’s life. The smile is back on their faces as they watch Sharmila ready to live a normal childhood. Her father, Sayed Basha, spoke to other underprivileged families with children suffering from CHD, advocating the importance of screening camps run by Aishwarya Trust. Speaking to the parents, Dr. Rajesh urged them not to be misled by wrong advises and false beliefs about surgical interventions. He reiterated that when congenital heart defects (CHD) in children are identified and treated early, successful outcomes are possible.

With a new heart ticking, Sharmila is ready to take on life. We, at Aishwarya Trust, could not be prouder of our Brave Heart Warrior!