Indian opener KL Rahul has come to the rescue of an 11-year-old in urgent need of a bone marrow transplant (BMT) to treat a rare blood disorder. Rahul donated a generous amount of Rs 31,000 out of the Rs 35,000 required for the procedure.
In December, Varad’s parents, Sachin Nalawade, an insurance agent, and housewife Swapna Jha launched a fundraiser on GiveIndia to raise 35,000 rupees for their son’s treatment. Rahul’s team contacted GiveIndia as soon as they found out about Varad and the fundraiser.
Since September, the fifth-grader has been under the care of hematologists at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai after being diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder. Varad’s platelet counts were very low, making his immune system extremely vulnerable to infection. Even a normal fever took months to heal. A bone marrow transplant was the only permanent cure for Varad’s condition.
The middle-class family ran out of money, and his father even liquidated his provident fund savings to pay Varad’s mounting medical bills to keep his son’s dream of becoming a cricketer alive. He also bought his son a fancy cricket bat for his 11th birthday to cheer up Varad and give the up-and-coming young batsman some hope.
Thanks to Rahul, Varad underwent surgery and is now recovering.
Speaking of the donation, Rahul said: “When I found out about Varad’s condition, my team got in touch with GiveIndia so we could help him in any way we could. I’m glad the operation was successful and he’s fine. I hope Varad gets back on his feet and achieves his dreams as soon as possible. I hope my contribution inspires more and more people to come forward and help those in need.”
Sitting next to a smiling Varad, his mother Swapna said with folded hands: “We are grateful to KL Rahul for donating such a large amount for Varad’s surgery. Without him, it would have been impossible to perform the bone marrow transplant in such a short time. Thank you, Rahul.”
Commenting on Rahul’s donation, Sumit Tayal, COO of GiveIndia said: “We thank KL Rahul for his generosity which will breathe new life into young Varad. When a cricket icon like Rahul steps up and donates such a large amount to save someone’s life, it can inspire millions to open their hearts and give to those in need.”
Varad’s family could not imagine that an Indian player would come to save him. Varad often talks about playing for India in the future. Now he has a chance to emulate the man who saved his life.
