This Too Shall Pass

At a time when most of us are coming to terms with some form of loss, here is some positive news that would not have been possible without your continued support. We have managed to support over 3200 critically ill children and have given them an equal opportunity to live healthier.

As you know, I am fond of each and every story. Each child is special and every journey is worth it. Today I am sharing a story of young Anshul (Anish in the book) from Jind. A boy who was facing difficulties in just breathing, today, in his father's words, "He is unstoppable.? Nothing stops him from learning and keeping an open mind. He loves cycling around the neighbourhood and plays cricket! How wonderful is that? Today I am sharing his story.  

Ratna and Suhasini Vira, have supported us in an incredible way to help get these stories to people. Their book ‘Why People Give’, published by Sage Publications India, talks about the stories of some our little warriors. Their journeys truly tug at 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. 

I hope you get a copy of the book, and wish the stories inspire you to join in the joy of giving we experience with our work at Genesis Foundation. A percentage of the proceeds from the book go to supporting more little hearts in need. The book is available on Amazon and has a Kindle version too! 

‘No winter lasts forever;

no spring skips its turn’

- Hal Borland

Jind is a city in the state of Haryana and is one of oldest districts of the state. The fort of Jind was built by King Ganpat Singh in 1775 AD. Eleven year old Anish lives in a small nondescript village near Jind, with his father Rajeev and his mother Neelam. He is an only child. 

Anish was quite ill and as he grew older his parents were distressed to see him suffer due to his poor health. Ignorance and hope are two sides of the same coin. They explained away his condition by saying it was caused by Neelam’s lack of appetite while she was pregnant. She often blamed herself for drinking too much cola when pregnant. ‘Caused gas, harmed baby in stomach’, she would often tell the other women in the village. 

His bouts of breathlessness, lack of appetite and chronic fatigue worried them. They overlooked it for as long as they could, but when his growth was retarded in comparison to children his age, they took him to the local doctor. The local doctor sent them onwards to a city doctor who directed them to a specialist. It was a chain; they ran from one doctor to another. Not a couple to give up easily, his parents persisted and held on to their belief in god. 

‘He has been suffering from a congenital heart disorder called Atrial Septal defect (ASD), which required a device closure, a non-invasive procedure’, they were finally told. 

As soon as the congenital heart disorder was detected, Rajeev took his son to different doctors and hospitals. It was a mad scramble, with the medical file getting fatter as several tests and x-rays were done. 

Finally, they reached a doctor at the prestigious Max Hospital. The doctor at once saw that the family could not afford the surgery. He was, however, moved by Rajeev’s love for his son. He realised that Rajeev would willingly lie down on the hospital bed in place of his son, if that would heal him. He watched as Rajeev and his wife tried everything in their control to raise the money required. 

They pledged the land which until now had sustained the family. Rajeev calculated that with his monthly income of Rs. 7000, it would take him more than a decade to pay back the loan that he would need to take. The problem was not with his intent but with the banks and the money lender sharks in the village. They wanted not just the land, but also eyed his wife. 

The doctor stepped in quietly and, without raising Rajeev’s hopes, made a few calls. A group of philanthropists stepped in and supported the family and paid for the surgery. Rajeev was overwhelmed because it was not a loan nor was there a payback in cash or kind. They did not want his land.  

Anish was taken for the device closure, and he recovered over a period of days in the hospital.

He has since rejoined school and is quite popular with his classmates despite having a speech disorder. This hasn’t discouraged him from learning as much as he can. When his friend’s make too much noise, he cheekily points at the empty vessels suggesting that they are shallow. And then after provoking them, he runs away and hides. These are normal pranks for a special boy - a child who has not let life’s setbacks stymie his enthusiasm for life. 

Rajeev is relentless in his pursuit for solutions that will make his son’s life easier. He regularly takes him to a local doctor in Rohtak, a fair distance from Jind. The local government has various schemes that support speech therapy and child development. 

According to Rajeev, ‘Anish is a happy and organised child; even though young, he is punctual and regular with his school work, submitting assignments in time. He is careful about his belongings’. 

Despite the hardship this young boy faces, nothing stops him from learning and keeping an open mind. He loves cycling around the neighbourhood and plays cricket with the boys in his locality. 

There has been a dramatic shift in his energy level and therefore in his confidence level. Before the surgery, he was lethargic and often listless. He spent most days staring at the ceiling. His growth was retarded, and he could not keep pace with other boys his age, neither physically nor academically. 

A beaming Rajeev, however, says that was in the past. ‘Now my son is unstoppable’. Pointing at a hoarding advertising a brand of car tyres, he says with pride, ‘like that’. 

‘We couldn’t contribute anything towards the surgery and it was entirely supported by people who didn’t know us’, says Rajeev. ‘No one in our family could come forward to help us as everyone has struggles with money’.  

These days, besides school, Anish loves to watch Motu and Patlu on television, and eating rasgullas is his big treat, for which he will do anything, even extra home!