Kin of liver patient in Andhra Pradesh turn to crowdfunding for aid

By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: All was well in the family of Kaki Appa Rao, a newspaper agent from Rajamahendravaram, until one day when he noticed his wife K Lakshmi’s feet started to swell in 2017. The husband and wife consulted a doctor, who prescribed a few medicines. With no relief, she went to a gastroenterologist about four months later only to be diagnosed with a liver problem. “She was a perfectly healthy woman with no problems. But, our lives turned upside down suddenly,” he said.

A year-and-a-half lapsed since then and the condition of Lakshmi, who is now in an ICU in a private hospital in Hyderabad, only deteriorated due to chronic liver disease. Seeking financial support from the public and the government, Appa Rao, who exhausted all his savings, is now running from pillar to post to pool in Rs 30 lakh to save his wife’s life.

“We are not from a well-to-do family. I spent all my savings, including the money set aside for my daughters’ wedding, for the treatment. Now she needs an immediate liver transplant, which is estimated to cost Rs 28 lakh for the surgery and some more for other expenses,” Appa Rao, who spent Rs 8 lakh so far, bemoaned. 

Pinning hopes on donations from public and Chief Minister Relief Fund (CMRF), he added, “I was told that the treatment for this condition is not covered under the government’s “Dr NTR Vaidya Seva,” Rao, a father of three children, said. Even though Lakshmi has a health insurance, Appa Rao observed, she isn’t eligible yet to get coverage as there is a waiting period of two years for the benefits to kick-in. 

“My 26-year-old son has come forward to donate a part of his liver but I don’t have any money left. If no support comes by, I will have to sell the only house we have,” he added, pointing out that the liver transplantation has to be done within a month’s time. 

Though Appa Rao is not optimistic about mobilising Rs 28 lakh in a short notice, he wants to give one last shot at crowd funding.  “We have started campaign on milaap.org. So far, we have been able to raise Rs 2.88 lakh, but there is a long way to go. We need more donations to save our mother,” the children said.

Donations can be made to
K Appa Rao (9912140125)
SBI A/C No: 32284014580, Kambala Tank, Rajamahendaravaram branch
IFSC: SBIN0000904
Or towww.milaap.org/fundraisers/support-lakshmi-kaki

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