Sahil's heart

This child needs his heart fixed. Really soon.

I see so many cases that move me, but this little guy has been on my mind a lot this week, despite lots of other craziness and furniture deliveries and school projects and deworming and getting caught in torrential downpours and dealing with the Residential kids' check-ups and whatnot. I find myself thinking of him at random times; pondering, planning, hoping that we can make a difference in his life.

His name is Sahil and he has a ventricular septal defect, an atrial septal defect and pulmonary valve stenosis. So basically, two holes in his heart and a narrowed valve that doesn't allow adequate blood to lungs. He should be halfway through his first year of nursery school at AIC by now but he isn't, because his condition is worsening and the doctors have advised that we not start him in school until his heart problems are surgically corrected.

His mother comes daily to our Health Outreach Centre to see if we know when he can have his surgery yet. His three older siblings (ages 9, 8 and 6) attend tutoring at AIC's Education Centre and ask about him there too. It's obvious that everyone is anxious to see Sahil, the 6th child and baby of the family, healthy and attending school like other kids his age.

I know AIC can't afford to add his surgery to the list of other really-important-but-also-really-expensive procedures that we have already paid for this year, but I am hopeful. Hopeful that we'll find funding somewhere. Hopeful that his surgery will be uncomplicated and successful. Hopeful that when the next school year starts in June, I'll see Sahil running around with all of the other kids his age, a normal, healthy little boy with a bright future ahead of him.