A Living Miracle - Ratna & Suhasini Vira

If you have been following my posts, you would have seen the series I started on highlighting our Genesis Foundation warriors, and this is the next story! 

I remember this one clearly, since the doctors had reached a very hard point in the case, yet were determined to find a solution to save the child. This was a story of innovation and a never-say-never attitude of the doctors, the Genesis Foundation team and the Child! 

The doctors had to use technology to re-create a 3D heart of the child, just so that they could figure out the best possible way to deal with a very complicated case. It is amazing how technology can do wonders and help in such great ways if used correctly! 

The Foundation has supported over 3000 children, and this little warrior, like so many others, fought against all odds, and managed to find her second shot at life. Hope is the one constant and it makes me so happy to be able to share the hope, share smiles and save little hearts. 

Again, a big thank you to Ratna and Suhasini Vira, who have supported us every step of the way  to help get these stories to people. Their book, ‘Why People Give’, published by Sage Publications India, has many more stories of our little warriors and how their journeys can truly touch the strings of our hearts. Making you want to partake in their lives and truly understand the joy of giving; Money or your time, both go a long way in a good cause.   

Hope you will support Genesis Foundation in our journey, as always, and get a copy of the book, if you haven’t gotten it already. The book makes for a great gift as well! And remember, part of the proceeds from the book go to supporting yet another little heart in need. 

The book is available on Amazon and has a Kindle version too!

“So comes snow after fire,

and even dragons have their endings.”

~ J.R.R. Tolkien

This is a story about a little girl, hearing of whom will make one grateful for the privileges that we take for granted. Hearing her story is difficult, because the pain and abject poverty that she has seen makes one cringe and her situation could have cost the little girl her life. 

Reema is an 11-year-old girl from Thrissur district in Kerala. She was born in March 2007, to a low-income Malayali family. She has an older sister, Amrita. Her father is the only earning member of the family and works as a driver in Delhi. Her parents, Dinesh and Au, were extremely happy to welcome her into their small family, but their joy soon turned to worry as they noticed their new born daughter turn blue. To their absolute horror, she was breathless and gasped for air often. Feeding her was a nightmare and she cried all the time. 

They were devastated when doctors at the AIIMS, New Delhi, diagnosed a complex cyanotic CHD that was difficult to treat and needed multiple complicated heart surgeries. Reema was born with an extremely rare heart disorder where her heart was on the right side (dextrocardia) instead of being on the left. All chambers of the heart were in an extremely unusual location; the ventricles were one-on-top-of-the-order (superioinferior) instead of being left-and-right; both great arteries arose from her superiorly positioned right ventricle (double outlet right ventricle); there were two large holes (VSDs); and her pulmonary artery (which carries impure blood to the lungs) was severely obstructed. As a result, she had very low oxygen levels at all times. 

Her unusual and complex condition meant that she would need a series of heart operations, which would naturally be expensive. Amu and Dinesh could not afford the treatment and were completely devastated. 

With financial support from the Amritanandamayi Math and AIIMS, she underwent the first emergency operation in 2007  (BT shunt), and subsequently a second palliative operation in 2010 (Glenn shunt). These surgeries extended her life beyond childhood. 

However, the worst was not over. As Reema grew older, she became progressively more breathless and turned blue more often. However, due to the complex nature of her surgery and the expenses and logistical problems involved, further operations were delayed. 

The doctors did not give up on her. Harnessing the power of technology, the doctors at AIIMS used 3D printing to create a 3D replica of her heart. This allowed them to understand her rare and complex problems better. Using the 3D model, the doctors were able to meticulously plan her next round of surgery. 

The heavily discounted surgery would still cost almost Rs. 3,00,000, a princely sum for the impoverished family. Her parents gave up; it was impossible for them to raise the money and yet watching her die a little every day was torturous.  

Temple and fakirs, the village soothsayer- none could alleviate their sense of despair. ‘Why me? Why us?’ asked Amu, and her husband had no answer for her. 

Every day Dinesh left for work hoping for a miracle but returned empty-handed. His employers turned him down, banks would not let him in since he had little to pledge against a loan. His wife’s little jewellery, which meant so much to them, had little value in the real world. 

And just when he despaired and lost hope, life looked up. For they say the darkest hour is just before the breaking of dawn. 

His  employer called a charitable foundation, who came forward and agreed to fund a significant proportion of the expenses for the child’s surgery. This initial funding empowered the family to take the tough decision, a decision to go ahead with the extremely difficult and complicated operation. 

Reema was finally operated upon at AIIMS in July 2018 by the leading AIIMS paediatric surgical team. The surgery was a success, and she is now recovering well. 

Through both surgeries, one of her uncle’s, her mother and father stood by her bedside, ensuring Reema was surrounded by love and support. 

Reema is much better and she is back at school. Her friends never tire of asking her about the operation. And she shows her scars with pride. After all, it is her story to tell, one in which she is the heroine and the team of doctors along with the altruists are the heroes. 

She play-acts the entire situation and talks about the big hospital, which only she has seen from amongst all those in her school. Her teachers encourage her studies by paying extra attention to her. Several of them voluntarily coached her so that she could catch up with her work. The principal of her school describes her as a warm and talkative young girl, popular with children her age. 

Despite her health issues, Reema remains positive about life. She is protective of her sister, but at the same times does not think twice while ticking her off when she is naughty. 

She waits for her father to get home so that she can grab his mobile phone and then hide it, giggling as she watches him look for it. Like other children her age, with a mobile in her hand, homework is forgotten. She can spend hours playing games. Ask her about the latest apps and she will surprise even tech gurus with her range of information. 

Reema other says that in the virtual world, her heart beats the same way as others, and she can forget the pain and discomfort. 

Her parents take her regularly and follow the medical regime and post operative care prescribed by the doctors. For her parents, she is a living miracle. Each time they see her smile, they know that sometimes life works itself out. And that when all is lost, hope still exists. As they say, magic happens when you do not give up even if everything around you is going wrong. For the universe, they say, always falls in love with a stubborn heart.

Reema exemplifies the spirit of endurance, of not giving up. Her doctors told her parents that it was her holding on to hope that she will get better that made their task easier. For patients who give up despite the best medical treatment often succumb. So, medicine and hope have the power to heal. 

Reema and her family continue to live in Delhi but feel more settled now. And Reema and her sister have adopted a stray dog, Kaalu, who follows them everywhere.