MEERUT: For parents, Ankit Sharma and Meenakshi Sharma, nothing can be more difficult than seeing their son die in front of them. In their toughest hour, they couldn't do anything yet and are compelled by the situation as their son, Bhudev, who is just a year old, was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a rare disorder affecting the motor neurons - nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement.
When he was four months old, his muscles started to become weaker, following which his father, Ankit Sharma, a resident of Khajoor Wala village in Saharanpur, took him to a local private hospital from where he was referred to AIIMS-Rishikesh, where the disease was diagnosed, said his uncle Gaurav Sharma. He added: "AIIMS-Rishikesh later referred him to AIIMS-Delhi, citing that he would get better treatment there. We got to know that an injection, Zolgensma, would save his life, but it costs around Rs 17 crore and has to be imported from America."
His father, Ankit Sharma, said, "I am a marginal farmer and used to earn around Rs 500 per day. It is not easy for me to collect such an amount." "Even if we sell all our assets, we won't be able to collect the money. And I can't live without my son," added his mother, Meenakshi Sharma. His uncle further said, "So far, we have raised Rs 7 lakh, and the requirement is huge. It seems impossible for us. My nephew has SMA type 1 (the most dangerous 'type' of disease, in which if the patient doesn't get treatment, he dies at the age of two years)."
Ankit said, "So far, we have spent Rs 4 lakh, a large portion of my savings, in the treatment, and we just want my son to become healthy. I would be grateful if we get any help to buy that injection. For donation, you can search 'Bhudev SMA' in Google Pay and can donate."
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