I met Saba quite by coincidence. You can call it destiny too. I received a wattsapp message about this 15 year old kid being treated at Jaslok Hospital for a rare disease called Wilsons. And she needed help with funds. On an instinct I found her mothers number and called her. I told her I would help with some funds. My husband is used to my madness of such kinds. A month earlier, I had called up an orphanage in Beed which was looking for three lakhs to build a well to solve their water woes. I had found their number and told them I would give them the money. How, why, when, what, I thought of all that after I put the phone down.
Similarly after I promised Sabas mother help, I started thinking how. Two months earlier I had started the BlueBells Community aimed at spreading smiles amongst the underprivileged. But providing groceries and funds to orphanages on a need basis is very different from taking up a girls treatment on your shoulders. A girl from Karachi, a girl I didnt know, leave alone the disease she was suffering from.
As I read upon the disease I knew it was going to be a long and uphill battle. But I thought, more than me it was an even tougher battle for Saba and her mom. A single mother with her daughter in an alien country with absolutely no funds, it cant get more daunting than this. My community of 70 members supported me and together we raised some money and I went to meet Saba, a meeting which would change my life.
Incidentally I was the first visitor Saba had despite being in Mumbai for 13 days. What had struck me in the wattsapp message and when I met them was Sabas smile. It had loads of undying spirit and optimism in it. I instantly connected to it, amazed at Sabas willpower to smile despite what fate had handed her. Nazia and I connected as mothers. She was happy she finally had someone to talk too and after that meeting there wasnt a day or night when I slept without an update on Saba.
The bills staggered up day after day and I would often get palpitations at night thinking how I would collect the money. I had given Nazia hope and she always turned to me for help. I couldnt show my helplessness or desperation to anyone. My husband would find me awake at nights and think I was going crazy. People warned me not to get so consumed by a kid from another country. But I was determined to get this child on her feet. I believe every child must get treatment no matter where she is from or where she goes for treatment. Borders were made later, humanity existed before.
My community of 70 members stood behind me like a rock and together after several highs and lows, with some help from the press, social media and kind donors, we collected 7 lakhs till the time Saba went back in June.
By now, all 70 members of the group were connected to Saba. Each of us wanted Saba to get cured. It was a personal mission for all of us. The day Saba left, I had a sudden emptiness in my heart. I had been consumed with her thoughts the past two months and suddenly there was nothing to do, nothing to think, no hospital visits and no medical updates. I hesitantly got back to my normal life but kept in touch with Nazia. It was very important for me to know how Saba was doing.
Sadly what I heard was not very encouraging. Sabas health deteriorated and her condition worsened due to lack of medical observation. Her white blood cell count went down, she was turning weak day by day and Nazia was worried. So was I.
As Nazias calls grew desperate, I knew it was time to act again. I couldnt turn to the same donors who had helped last time. I had been thinking of crowd funding. A group member and actress Sriti Jha suggested BitGiving as the crowdfunding site as she knew the CEO Ishita Anand. Once I connected with Ishita, the campaign Save Saba to collect 10 lakhs was up in 3 hours and went live on Independence Day. That the Times of India picked it up as their front page story was surreal.
What followed was magical. Several donations, encouraging messages and phone calls from other media started coming in. Everyone resonated what I had been thinking all along that a child should get help and a chance to recover. Her origin or country didnt matter. I breathed easy after a long time. I knew India would come to mine and Sabas rescue and I had not judged wrong.
In three days, we raised almost 1.5 lakhs. I told Nazia to pack her bags and come to India. My heart said we would achieve our goal. Till date through BitGiving and other donors, we have collected 5 lakhs. The goal doesnt seem far away. Its just a matter of time.
Saba is now in India. The whole of India has adopted her. She, who is so unwell got me salwar suits from Karachi. I choked with emotion as I took it. She sulks, fights and loves me, all without ever having spoken a word with me. She waits eagerly for me to visit her, constantly telling Nazia to call me.
Saba told me the other day she will be fine in two months and dance with me. She even lifted her hands to show me the moves. This is one dance I will wait for with eagerness. As much as I will wait to hear her voice call out to me. That will be the happiest day of my life.
If you want to donate for Saba or know more about her, click this link http://bitgi.co/savesaba
