A young couple in Howrah are waiting for a ₹50,000 bank loan and the completion of their 10-year-old son’s exams before they set off for Thiruvananthapuram, where their boy gained a new lease of life nine years ago.
Class IV student Adrin Dhara, who underwent a lifesaving liver transplant as an infant in the Kerala capital in 2016, comes over with his parents every year for a medical review.
Adrin is the son of Surajit Dhara, who works in the machinery section of a private company at Kantalia in Howrah, and Shampa Dhara, whose handmade toys help foot the boy’s monthly medical bill of ₹5,000.
As the globe observed World Liver Day on Saturday, the couple are just relieved that their son, afflicted with congenital liver disease, is keeping in good health. And they are full of gratitude for the doctors at the KIMS Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.
In 2016, doctors in Bengal had asked the couple to take their baby boy to the KIMS Hospital, which advised an emergency liver transplant.
Thankfully, Surajit was entitled to financial assistance from the ESI Corporation. Shampa donated a part of her liver to her son.
Dr T.U. Shabeerali, senior consultant, department of hepatobiliary, pancreatic and liver transplant surgery at the hospital, told The Telegraph that the 16-hour liver transplant surgery was challenging.
“Adrin’s family stayed back in Thiruvananthapuram for a year following his liver transplant. It was very crucial for the baby’s well-being for them to stay close to the hospital in case of any emergency,” Dr Shabeerali said.
“Surajit worked here to earn a livelihood. There were tense moments with Adrin developing slight complications, but we were able to provide timely medical assistance.”
He added: “They come here once or twice a year for a medical review and a visit is due now.”
When this newspaper contacted Adrin and his parents in Howrah over the phone, they were elated to hear from Thiruvananthapuram, a city they consider their “second hometown”.
Surajit said the family would set off for Kerala after Adrin, a student of the Sri Ramkrishna Sikshalaya, Howrah, completes hisfinal examinations.
Shampa said the boy’s bilirubin levels do shoot up once in a while, but it’s nothing that a local hospital can’t handle.
“I had taken a few bank loans for Adrin’s liver transplant, and I pay a weekly interest of ₹1,200 to the bank. Currently, I’m awaiting sanction for a ₹50,000 loan from a leading bank to meet the expenses for our trip,” Surajit said.
“Once that’s cleared, we will be coming down to meet Dr Shabeerali and his team, thanks to whom we can hear Adrin call us ‘Baba’ and ‘Maa’ today.”