Rotary saves yet another child

When an anxious Zainab and Huzefa, parents of 10-month-old infant Haadiya, knocked on the doors of Rotary Club of Mumbai Parleshwar, RID 3141, to help treat their beloved child suffering from CHD on Aug 21, club president Unmesh and secretary Monika Tandon swiftly sprang into action. The baby was admitted at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital two days later and the surgery was successfully performed. Today, thanks to Rotary’s life-saving intervention, little Haadiya is full of life and her parents are on top of the world with infinite joy.

Haadiya was born with a hole in the ventricular chamber of her heart and every time she gurgled or cried, she would turn blue. She was under-weight and had difficulty in breathing and taking her feeds. Doctors recommended an emergency surgery to set right her heart condition. But the hitch was the hefty hospital cost — ₹2.35 lakh — which was unimaginable for the couple eking out a living from a plasticware and crockery stall in the Golibar Market in Santa Cruz.

“Enquiries for help led them to our club’s administrative director Sunita who passed on the request to ­Monika. From there on, with DG Rajendra Agarwal’s guidance, we took over and saw to it that the child is saved,” said club member PDG Subhash Kulkarni. While the district paid 50 per cent of the hospital bills, the club members pitched in to settle the balance dues.

“It’s not just about paying the bills, but we were happy to provide timely assistance and personal care to the agitated parents and the ailing child. Monika was constantly in touch with the family until the child was discharged on Sep 3,” he added.

Haadiya’s mother Zainab summed up Rotary’s healing touch when she said, “The support given by all of you not only helped my baby but also gave us so much confidence, that we are not alone. Whenever we see Haadiya laugh, play or throw tantrums, we will think of Rotary with gratitude. Because Rotary gave our baby back to us.”