Payel Bhattacharya

Lively and spirited Payel Bhattacharya shows no sign of fighting a life-threatening disease of the rarest kind.

The 27-year-old suffers from genetic disorder called Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, that causes abnormal proliferation of blood vessels in the organs. Seventy per cent of her liver is covered with tumours.

“We don’t have a well-maintained registry of rare diseases. Doctors at a Mumbai-based laboratory said they have seen three to four people suffering from the disease in the past 20 years,” said laparoscopic and gastrointestinal surgeon Shibajyoti Ghosh.

Liver transplant is the only hope for Payel. Her doctors want to carry out the transplant in four to six weeks.

Payel had to give up her dream of becoming a doctor after a surgery to remove a tumour in her brain affected her left hand. Frequent convulsions and severe headaches kept her away from classes and she was unable to complete her B.Sc from Jogamaya Devi College. “I was not allowed to sit for Part II because of low attendance. But I did not give up. I want do my graduation all over again,” said the self-confessed geek, who has completed a course in Linux.

Payel, who has undergone five major surgeries since she was barely two years old, is an avid reader and a fan of Shah Rukh Khan. She wants to write a sci-fi novel and adopt a daughter after she gets well.

“Payel is an expert on her disease and knows more about it than doctors in Calcutta,” said Ghosh, who has been treating Payel.

She has been doing a lot of research on the Internet about her disease, said her father Pradip.

Payel’s brother Arindam, who has passed out of Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, is going to donate a part of his liver to her. The transplant will cost Rs 25 lakh. The amount can go up if there are complications.

Pradip, who has suffered a heart attack, is worried about where the money will come from. “I am retired and need financial assistance to save my daughter,” said Bhattacharjee.

Payel is confident that people will come forward to help. “Why should I grumble about life when I could live every moment of it instead? I don’t want to live to be 80 and only have six months worth of memories,” she said.

If you would like to help Payel or need information about VHL, you can contact her at www.caseofrareliverdisease.info or email her at payel.bh@gmail.com. Her mobile number is 91-9903087104.