A Whole New Life
At an age when young people are planning their future, Ayesha Sattar was struggling with her health.
Ayesha suffered from atrial septal defect, a congenital condition commonly known as ‘hole in the heart’. She would feel breathless, have difficulty in walking or completing everyday chores and take multiple breaks due to physical exertion.
Her illness affected her ability to pursue a normal life.
“Sometimes I would sit down on the side of the road. My lips would turn blue and I could not breathe”, she says.
As her health deteriorated, a close family friend introduced Ayesha to the Patient Welfare Programme at Aga Khan University Hospital. An AKUH representative advised Ayesha to undergo diagnostic tests to ascertain the disease and its level of severity. As a tertiary care hospital AKUH offers services ranging from diagnostics to surgery and post surgery care, and Ayesha was considered for complete treatment of her illness.
"AKU took my case at a time when other hospitals refused to help me, due to reasons such as the risky procedure and cost", says Ayesha.
Supported by welfare, Ayesha underwent multiple tests. The results established the severity of her heart condition, and also revealed that she suffered from malfunction of the right kidney as well as tuberculosis. Doctors informed Ayesha and her aunt that without urgent cardiac surgery, she had approximately two months left to live.
Ayesha is an orphan living with her aunt in Lyari, an underprivileged part of Karachi. The cost of the surgery was beyond their means. Realising the seriousness of her condition, the AKU representative recommended that her treatment be initiated through zakat and welfare funds.
Ayesha underwent cardiac surgery on March 17, 2014. The six-hour long surgery was led by Dr Muneer Amanullah, a paediatric cardiac surgeon and performed by a highly skilled team of anaesthetists, nurses and technicians. Once stable from cardiac surgery, Ayesha was re-admitted for the successful removal of a kidney. She continues to undergo treatment for tuberculosis. Of the total cost of her treatment of Rs 2.4 million (US $ 24,000), 70 per cent was supported by zakat and welfare funds.
Ayesha has gradually recovered and visits the Hospital for regular check-ups. The medical team has been a source of multi-faceted support, through every step of her recovery. Her doctors have informed her that she will be completely cured of tuberculosis after one more month of treatment.
"Initially I was advised to use the oxygen mask at all times at home. Now I only need it at nights and my condition is steadily improving".
During her recovery, Ayesha’s family made many sacrifices. Ayesha’s maternal aunt, herself a mother of four children, gave up her job in order to stay with her niece at the Hospital, while her own children were cared for by her eldest daughter.
Ayesha could not study due to her condition, but now plans to pursue further studies and make herself a helping hand to the family.
“I am very thankful for the support and kindness of the doctors and staff of AKU who made this difficult journey possible”, says a beaming Ayesha.
