“For the past 18 days, I’ve been living a nightmare I never imagined. My baby girl was born far too early, in the 7th month of my pregnancy, and weighs only 810 grams. She’s so tiny, so fragile, and every breath she takes is a struggle. She’s been kept on a ventilator since the moment she was born, unable to breathe on her own. As I watch her through the glass of the incubator, my heart breaks into pieces. I had dreamt of holding her close and seeing her smile, but instead, all I can do is stand beside her, helpless. The doctors say she will need to stay on the ventilator for another two months, and the cost is more than we could ever manage — ₹6,00,000. My husband, Parmeshwar, works as a painter and earns only ₹8,000-₹10,000 a month. We’re doing everything we can, but it’s not enough.
She’s my first, my only daughter, and I can’t bear the thought of losing her. Every time I visit, I whisper to her, telling her stories of the life waiting for her, of the love that surrounds her, hoping that somehow, she can hear me. I tell her she’s strong and that she just needs to hold on a little longer. But with each passing day, the weight of our reality feels heavier.
We’re at the mercy of time and hope. I want nothing more than to take my baby girl home, to hold her, to watch her grow. But right now, we need help to give her that chance. I never thought I’d find myself here, but for my daughter, I will do anything. I just want to see her live, to see her survive this battle she’s too young to even understand.”
- Varsha, mother of 7-months-old newborn
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