22nd December 2011 was the most exciting and surprising day for me and my husband, as it was the day of my c-section delivery for my very first pregnancy. Like any other parents, the whole family was eagerly awaiting and was extremely busy welcoming the first baby of the next generation. Finally, the D-day came, and we were blessed with a baby boy, Ansh, who had just come into the world and filled our lives with only love, emotions and happiness.

Ansh started his journey of life among all the loved ones and without any complicated surgery, and life was at its best for us. Ansh had been doing well in his early days, except he was a very unsettled baby in his first few months. This was worrisome for us as first-time parents, but with the elders’ advice and moral support, the days passed by, and Ansh grew like our little prince. We were thankful to God for the lovely gift in our hands.

Days passed by like a flashing light, and the time came for Ansh to crawl and sit up, and we were waiting excitedly for the day. Ansh, on the other hand, was not reaching his milestones like any other baby would have done. We didn’t have a clue what the real issue behind this slow development could be. We consoled ourselves with the idea that every baby has their own pace of development and waited for his turning, crawling, and sitting, as well as his other baby milestones. He showed no signs of any of these developments. The hidden scare inside us started to grow worse. Finally, the health visitor advised us to see the paediatrician for Ansh’s delayed development.

The day of the paediatrician’s visit changed our lives forever. Dr Hilary, one of the finest paediatricians, introduced us to the word “Cerebral Palsy”. It was an alien term for us, never heard of that before, to be honest. Ansh was diagnosed with the condition of lifelong irreversible CP. When the little brain is unable to absorb oxygen for a few seconds in early life, that part of the brain cells gets paralysed and stops functioning.

Then began our endless frequent trips to the MRI test centre, paediatricians, therapists, etc. All these things have now become a part of our life. Slowly, we came to terms with accepting this bitter truth in our lives and accepted it finally as our destiny. So, life wanted us to be the strongest parents and get set going for a seamless effort to make Ansh’s life better.

He did turn over, sit up and crawl, but much later than his milestone age. Ansh still does a little crawling but mostly bunny hopping. He is a very smart boy. Today, he is an intelligent, loving 8-year-old kid ruling our hearts.

Today, Ansh is studying in a mainstream school, excelling in his studies. Though his all-time favourite subject is maths, he manages to write with his left hand. Affected on his right-side limbs more than his left side, life has been a struggle for this dude always. He does walk with the help of his Kaye walking frame and manages sitting, standing with support, writing, vision (Ansh also had childhood cataract surgery at the age of five, a rare thing in children), going for a wee, dressing up, talking, etc. But Ansh has taken up all the challenges like a tough boy and is still fighting for it.

Ansh is now working hard and trying everything to make himself strong and ready for SDR surgery, which he knows is the only option that could help him walk. He is genuinely exercising regularly, taking swimming lessons, horse riding sessions, and also goes for his absolute favourite—bike riding. Being a very determined boy, he wishes to walk like any of his classmates.

SDR surgery is one of the finest gifts from doctors to all the children like Ansh, to walk and do everything that a normal child can do. Ansh is just looking forward to his basic physical freedom of being independent.

Being a parent, it is difficult and nerve-wracking to see your child not getting the bare minimum physical ability. So, we are looking forward to this surgery, which is handsomely expensive with lots of pre- and post-operative therapies, etc. It’s like learning to walk again from scratch.

The team at GOSH London thinks Ansh will be able to get NHS funding for his surgery and has put Ansh on the waitlist for the operation, but Ansh will require lots of strenuous and extensive therapy, which forms an integral part of the success of this procedure. These physiotherapy sessions, additional swimming lessons, horse riding, etc., will need to be funded privately. And this is a must after surgery.

Looking forward to all your generosity with very good hearts and hoping we could all join hands in Ansh’s dream to walk.

Please, dear friends, if we could all support Ansh’s dream to walk in our own little way, it would make Ansh’s life more confident to live with, and we will feel we were the chosen parents by God Almighty to help a little prince achieve his dreams.

Latest update: Ansh had his SDR operation at GOSH London on 4th December 2020. He is now having lots of physiotherapy and activities to get him back to where he was pre-SDR and beyond. Wish him luck.

Follow Ansh’s journey here: www.facebook.com/Ansh.Dream

Thanks and regards,

Payal (Mum)

Nikhil (Dad)

7.5% of all donations to Tree of Hope in relation to this appeal will be allocated to the general charitable purposes of Tree of Hope to cover our core operating costs. If we raise insufficient funds, or surplus funds, then the funds will be used, if appropriate, to fund support for our child’s needs in accordance with Tree of Hope’s charitable objects. If in those circumstances we are unable to use all or part of the funds for the benefit of our child in accordance with Tree of Hope’s charitable objects, then any funds that cannot be used will be transferred to be used for the general charitable purposes of Tree of Hope.