They say that 'if there is a will, there is a way,' and this?was once again proved?by a group of kind-hearted people from all walks of life who came together for a noble cause. A crowdfunding campaign has managed to raise Rs 17.5 crore for?the treatment of?a toddler from Jaipur, Rajasthan, who was suffering from a rare medical condition.
The crowdfunding was launched?in February this year to raise funds for the treatment of Hridayansh Sharma, a 23-month-old boy who was suffering from a rare disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The toddler, the son of Rajasthan Police Sub-Inspector Naresh Sharma, was diagnosed with the?extremely rare?genetic disorder when he was just six months old.
SMA is a rare genetic disease that causes?loss of?muscle control and function over time.?It?mostly?affects infants and children. There is no cure for SMA, but there are treatments and support that can help. A gene replacement therapy called?Zolgensma,?and two drugs, called?nusinersen?(Spinraza) and?risdiplam?(Evyrsdi), can help children affected by SMA.?But?the?injunction has to be administered before the patient turns two years old. It is also astronomically expensive and can cost as much as Rs 17 crore to import, making it unaffordable for most people.
Also read:?Two-Year-Old Girl Suffering From SMA Gets Rs 16 Crore Drug Through Crowdfunding
After learning about Hridayansh's condition, the Rajasthan Police launched a crowdfunding campaign in February to raise funds to get the injection from the US before the boy turns two. The campaign also received support from the likes of cricketers Deepak Chahar and Sarfaraz?Khan,?and actor Sonu Sood. With the generous support of well-wishers, the campaign?was able to achieve?its goal within three months.
Also read:?People Come Together To Raise Rs 18 Cr, Save 18-Month-Old Baby Boy In Kerala
The injection was administered to Hridayansh at the JK Lone Hospital in Jaipur?on Monday.?Dr. Priyanshu Mathur, who administered the injection, said that the child?will?be kept?under observation for 24 hours.
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