Support 13 Year Old Tejesh in His Kidney Transplant Journey

"I have only one son, Tejesh, & he is my world. When the doctors told us that both his kidneys had failed, I felt the ground slip beneath me. But I will not give up. I am ready to give him my own kidney if that means he can live. I will do anything to save him."

I still remember the day when Tejesh was born. He was the light of our home, the reason for our laughter. Never did I imagine that one day I would be sitting in hospital corridors, watching my child struggle to survive.

For months, I have seen him go through dialysis three times a week. Each session drains his little body, but he never complains. He looks at me with tired eyes, and I know he is asking silently, “Ma, when will this end?” As a mother, it breaks me to see him suffer, but I cannot show him my tears. I must stay strong for him.

Doctors at AIIMS Delhi have confirmed in their reports that Tejesh suffers from chronic kidney disease due to nephrotic syndrome (FSGS). He is currently on maintenance haemodialysis and urgently requires a kidney transplant. The estimated cost of surgery and five years of post-transplant medicines is ₹10,76,000. Without this, his survival chances are very slim.

We have travelled from one hospital to another, searching for hope. Finally, at AIIMS Delhi, the doctors told us that a kidney transplant is the only way to save his life. Without hesitation, I offered mine. How could I not? He is my only child, my heartbeat. If my kidney can give him a chance to live, I will gladly give it.

But the cost of this transplant and the medicines he will need for years is far beyond what we can afford. My husband works hard, but his earnings are barely enough to keep us going. We have knocked on many doors, but the amount is impossible for us alone.

Every night, I pray that my son will live to see his dreams. He wants to go back to school, play football with his friends, and live like other children his age. I want to see him grow up, study, and one day stand on his own feet.

"I have never seen God with my own eyes. But in this difficult situation, I believe that every human being who comes forward to help my son will be no less than God to me." Your kindness will not only save Tejesh’s life, it will save mine too, because without him, I have no world.

– Jhumpa Devi, Mother of Tejesh