The City of Joy
Ayesha fit to go with a hearty' gift
KOLKATA: For little Ayesha, it's a precious gift from Kolkata a life full of promise and hope.
Born with an uncommon congenital heart problem that made her turn blue at the slightest exertion, seven-year-old Ayesha Mumtaz was flown into the city from Pakistan for a crucial open heart surgery that went off smoothly. She was discharged on Thursday and is ready to go back to her hometown Angoriat near Karachi.
The condition Ayesha suffered from was cyanotic congenital heart disorder, an ailment seen in about three out of every 1000 persons. Those who suffer from it have an artery that supplies blood to the lungs from the heart blocked, disrupting oxygen supply. The result: breathlessness, fatigue and the tendency to turn blue after the slightest strain.
Ayesha was so badly affected that she would turn blue even after walking ten paces. The effect was stark and many schools turned her away when she sought admission. It proved to be a long battle against ignorance and misinformation for her family, but they finally won. Though late, Ayesha started going to school.
Ayesha's parents wanted to come to India for the surgery, but her father Mumtaz, a small-time trader, did not have the means to fund the treatment. When their distress call reached the Rotary Club of Calcutta Metropolitan (RCCM), the organisation promptly approached Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS). The hospital waived a sizable portion of the surgery fees while RCCM bore a part of the remaining cost. The Glenn Shunt bypass surgery was conducted by RTIICS vice-chairman and senior consultant cardiac surgeon A Raghuvanshi on February 22.
"Ayesha has had an amazingly speedy and smooth recovery. She will now be able lead a near-normal life," said Dr Amitabha Chatterjee, interventional paediatric cardiologist.
"She is a symbol of love between the two countries. We are happy that she will go back to Pakistan with a new lease of life," said S S Kumar of RCCM.
"The geographical boundaries and political differences should be no barrier for citizens of either country from being friends," said Vishnu Dhandhania, RCCM assistant governor (3291 District that covers south Bengal).
Mother Rabia could not hide her tears of joy. "We have got so much more than what we had expected. The love showered on my daughter shall always be remembered. We are touched," said a sobbing Rabia, while thanking RTIICS and RCCM.
Ayesha will, however, need to come back after seven years for another surgery. "This surgery has cleared blood circulation from the upper half of the body to the lung artery. The next surgery will concentrate on the blood circulation from the lower half," said interventional paediatric cardiologist Biswajit Bandopadhyay.
Ayesha is Mumtaz and Rabia's only child. "I love the samosas here, which are really big. Earlier I was not allowed to eat samosas and chips. Now I have been told that I can eat them all," said Ayesha.
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