Aarav’s Fight Against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)

My name is Dhirendra Kumar, and I am the father of Aarav Kumar. Like every parent, I dreamed of watching my son laugh, play, and grow up healthy. From the day he was born, we imagined a future filled with his first words, his first steps, and a life like any other child’s. But fate had very different plans for us.

The First Signs of Something Wrong

When Aarav was 4.5 years old, I noticed he was struggling to climb stairs, and his walking style and body shape began to change. Thinking it might be a vitamin or mineral deficiency, I took him to a paediatrician. After a few simple physical tests, the doctor advised an expensive blood test. From his expressions alone, I knew something was terribly wrong.

A Diagnosis That Changed Everything

The test results confirmed our worst fear. Aarav was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare genetic disorder. The doctor explained that over time, Aarav would lose the ability to walk, run, and play, and that children with DMD often have a shortened life expectancy. Hearing this felt like the ground disappeared beneath my feet. As a father, I could not accept that my healthy child’s future had been decided so cruelly.

A Family Struggling in Silence

For days, I couldn’t tell anyone; not my wife, not my family. I had already lost my own father during the COVID-19 pandemic due to lack of treatment, and now I was facing the possibility of losing my only child. Over the next two years, I consulted specialists in Solan (Himachal Pradesh) and SGPGI Lucknow. I learnt that while treatment exists, it is extremely expensive and far beyond the reach of a middle-class family like ours.

Aarav’s Strength Against All Odds

Today, Aarav can no longer get up on his own. The disease has stolen his childhood. He struggles to attend school, yet he is in Class 1 and consistently ranks in the top 10 students. He dreams of becoming a successful person through education, even though his body does not support him. Despite everything, Aarav remains brave and hopeful; his courage gives us strength to keep going.

A Father’s Plea for Help

I once ran a small salon, which I sold to fund my son’s treatment. My wife, a homemaker, dedicates her life to caring for Aarav day and night. We are fighting not only a devastating disease but also poverty and the fear of losing our only child. I humbly ask for your support.

My son deserves a chance to live, to learn, and to dream, just like any other child.