“For a month now, my daughter has been fighting a battle that I wish I could fight for her! She was born too soon, in the 7th month of my pregnancy, and she hasn’t been able to breathe on her own. Every time I see her in the NICU, her tiny body connected to tubes and machines, fighting to stay alive. It feels like my heart is breaking a little more each day.
This is not how I imagined motherhood. I dreamt of holding her, feeding her, watching her sleep peacefully in my arms. Instead, I stand helplessly beside her incubator, praying for the day I can finally bring her home. The doctors say she’ll need at least two more months on the ventilator. The cost is overwhelming — ₹5,00,000. My husband, Anil, works as a farmer, earning only ₹8,000 a month. We simply can’t afford the treatment that could save her life.
I’ve never felt so torn between hope and fear. Each time I visit her, I try to stay strong, but it’s hard when all I can do is watch. I whisper to her, telling her about the fields her father works in, the sunshine waiting for her, and the love that’s ready for her at home. I try to believe she can feel my presence, that she knows I’m here, fighting for her, even if all I can do is stand beside her. But we need help. I never thought I’d be in this position, asking for support, but my baby girl deserves a chance at life. We can’t lose her, not after we’ve come so far. I just want to bring her home, to finally hold her, and to see her grow.”
- Shubhangi , mother of 7-months-old newborn
Baby of Shubhangi is just 7 months old, born prematurely, and suffering from Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Baby needs mechanical vent