2023-2024

West Champaran, Bihar. Two years old, Mohd. Faizal was to encounter a challenge no child should: born with a congenital heart defect called Double Outlet Right Ventricle with a large VSD in which the little heart could not pump blood naturally. His parents, already financially strained, were shocked when doctors at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi informed them that Faizal needed an emergency surgery to close the ventricular septal defect or VSD, that would save his life.

Faizal's father was a helper. He worked very hard for his family, but with five members dependent upon his modest earnings, arranging the ₹3.5 lakhs required for the surgery seemed quite impossible. All family members, uneducated and struggling to make both ends meet, could not even imagine how they would manage to bear the costly medical procedure that their little boy desperately needed.

Luck played in his Favor as he was shifted from Safdarjung Hospital to the Child Heart Foundation. With Hridaan, supported through Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC), any imposing financial burden became a background nightmare. Faizal was admitted 28th November 2023 and on the very next day, he underwent a successful VSD surgical closure at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.

Hard Working busy medical staff made sure that surgery turned out to be a success for Faizal. After several days in the hospital under excellent care, Faizal was discharged on 3rd December 2023 with heart working perfectly once again. His family never said thanks enough; they hardly believe that their little boy is getting a second chance in life. Reason: This is because of the combined effort of the Child Heart Foundation and IRFC.

And so, the story of the strengths of Mohd. Faizal should remind no family that they are not alone in the darkest of days when communities come to pull each one towards another kind of fight. His is a history to inspire others in that predicament while showing that even with the bigness of the hurdle, it could be conquered with the right help.