A Good Cause

As a Hindu I always try to have my eyes and ears open to the needs that arise around me. I wait for causes to come to me, because they do arise right in front of you when you’re looking for them.

I have a cause now that I really hope you will help me with. This one hits very close to home as a little girl I know battles for her life.

For a long time the only thing we as friends of this family could do to help was pray and hope. But now we have a chance to relive a little bit of the stress from Sami’s parents by donating to help them with the costs of medical care. They have set up a donation page asking for quite a modest amount, considering medical expenses.

I would like to blow their request out of the water. I want to flood them with money and far exceed the goal they’ve set. I hope that you will help me in that endeavor. Whether by donating yourself or by sharing this page with others (or both), let’s do what we can to save this wonderful little girl.

Here is the link: http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/support-4-sami/70443/

Keep reading to learn more about this remarkable child…

One of my very dearest friends, a man who has loved and supported me throughout the four years that I’ve known him, who did so much to help with my wedding (and, in fact, introduced me to my husband in the first place!), has a beautiful little niece that he adores with all his heart.

She is three years old. I visited her mother in the hospital the day she was born. Her parents and family knew before she was born that there was a defect with her heart. But they were told that it could be fixed. Three surgeries and by three years old she would be completely better. She was whisked away for surgery the day she was born (at the very impressive Children’s Hospital in D.C.).

Some babies never recover from such a serious medical intervention on their first day. We were all worried about little Sami. But she proved to have the stamina, determination, and stubbornness of her parents. She breezed through that surgery like it was nothing.

When her mother went back to work, there was a day that the daycare was closed and I babysat four month old Sami. She was a sweet and darling baby that seemed the absolute picture of robust health.

She grew and grew. Had her second surgery and defeated that one just as impressively. The doctors have consistently been amazed at her fast recoveries. She developed a precious smile and a sparkle in her eyes. She has always been doted on by her adoring Uncle. He has big plans to teach her martial arts and science, his two great loves. Someday she’ll be his lab assistant and together they will change the world.

She completed her third surgery and all looked well. We were thrilled that she was finally done with all the hospitals and tests (though she was still on a lot of medications). She got a baby brother and finally began to have a normal childhood.

And then something went wrong.

She developed a secondary condition that began closing down her veins. She had life-saving surgery, but it required undoing the previous one. This new surgery was not able to cure the new condition and now little Sami is in a very dangerous situation.

Her family was able to take her to Disney World through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. It is bitter sweet. I feel grateful that such a foundation exists, but it is deeply saddening when you or someone you love is the one making use of their services.

Now Sami is set up to begin an experimental treatment to try to keep her alive. It’s administered at Children’s Hospital in Boston. If this doesn’t work, she will require a heart AND lung transplant, which is nearly unheard of, let alone for someone so very young.

As you may imagine, the hardship on Sami’s family is daunting. Her mother has had to be out of work frequently for the travel and the surgeries, though they can ill afford to be living on one income. The costs of medication and co-pays add up quickly.

Sami is only three years old and she is the light of the world to this family and their friends, including me.