Baby Aayush's parents ask bloggers to lend their ears

Nadkarnis need Rs 9 lakh to treat 13-month-old son, who suffers from a near-complete hearing loss

Nadkarnis need Rs 9 lakh to treat u00a013-month-old son, who suffers from u00a0a near-complete hearing loss

Inspired by the success of leukemia patient Gaurav Tandon, who created a website (www.helpgaurav.com) to collect funds for treatment of cancer, the Nadkarnis have decided to float an online page to invite donations for

To help Aayush, visit https://help-aayush.blogspot.comu00a0 PIC/NARENDRA DANGIYA

the treatment of Aayush, their 13-month-old son, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder.

The condition, called Waardenburg syndrome, which effects one in every one lakh children, has caused Aayush a near complete loss of hearing.

Parents worried

Aayush's parents Aniket and Vinita were initially worried when he did not respond to sounds. "Our family doctor told us that some babies take time to respond, but after five months, we were alarmed.

His right eye turned blue, and he still couldn't hear a thing. Then, another doctor told us that it was this syndrome, which had affected his hearing," said Vinita, a tuition teacher.

Aayush was initially fitted with hearing aids but these have only helped him recognise sounds, but not discriminate between different tones.

Dr Ramesh Oza, head of audiology and speech therapy at the Nanavati hospital, says cochlear implants are the only option for Aayush, given the extent of damage in his ears. "An implant can restore up to 90 per cent of his hearing. Several children suffering from the same condition are now going to regular schools. Some speak up to three languages. However, the implant is expensive and costs around Rs 9 lakh."

The Nadkarnis were inspired by Tandon's story who was able to float enough funds for the ongoing treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. Today, all Aayush is receptive to, is clapping during the family puja.

"He turns around when he hears the sound and comes towards us, which is encouraging, " Vinita added.

How strangers helped Gaurav Tandon
IT professional Gaurav Tandon works for Datacraft Asia in Mumbai. He is married and has a six-year-old-son. Gaurav was detected with AML (a type of Blood Cancer) in November 2008. He has responded well to chemotherapy, but must get a bone marrow transplant as the only possibility for a cure. He created a website wwww.helpgaurav.com to seek funds for treatment.u00a0 "Finances aren't a problem anymore but we're still seeking a bone marrow donor. I am overwhelmed by the response I've received from perfect strangers. In fact, it makes me believe more firmly that this world is a wonderful place and it reinforces my will to live," said Gaurav.

Online activism
Requests for help made online are often suspect. Vishwanath Ananthanarayanan (27), who donated Rs 5,000 to help Aayush said, "Tandon's story touched me but what also helped was that I knew the family through a friend. The unfortunate thing about online campaigns is that you're always wondering about how genuine the appeal is."
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