Jairaj: From Draining Fear to Gushing Joy
“On seeing him for the first time, I was taken aback.”
Sudhaben and her whole family were overjoyed when she discovered she was pregnant for the second time.
However, their joy was soon overshadowed. The moment her husband, Sureshbhai, held his newborn son, Jairaj, he noticed a wide gap in his lip, slightly off center. The nurse explained that it was a cleft. “I went for all my ultrasound appointments, but nobody told me about this,” Sudhaben lamented. After nine months of hopeful anticipation, that first cradle brought only agony and fear.
Seeing the parents sink into deep worry, the hospital staff suggested they seek a consultation at Smile Train partner Kashiben Govardhandas Patel Children's Hospital in Vadodara. It was like a ray of hope for the entire family.
The day of surgery was a challenge for the parents. They were nervous. Seeing their child go under the knife at a tender age broke their heart. Although the doctor and hospital staff had explained the process to them, they were still worried and kept praying.
In a few hours, the surgery was done!
When they saw Jairaj come out of the operating room, their happiness knew no bounds. “They were angels sent by God to help our son, otherwise we couldn’t have been able to get his surgery done.” These were Sureshbhai’s words, though she thinks that words are not enough to express his deepest gratitude towards Smile Train and their work.
Talking about Jairaj, Sudhaben gushed, “He is very playful and active, always full of energy. He spends a lot of time with his little puppy, and his infectious smile keeps everyone around him happy and uplifted.”
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What lies ahead for Jairaj? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, with the support of our generous donors, we will continue to ensure that more children like Jairaj can smile brightly rather than struggle to access the care they desperately need.
