A boy is unable to use his hands or wear shoes due to a rare genetic disorder that causes his fingers and toes to be fused together.
Aswanth, eight, suffers from Apert syndrome, which also makes the head grow abnormally large and is associated with intellectual disability.
Over the past two years, Aswanth’s parents, from Palakurthi in the southern Indian state of Telangana, have sold many of their possessions to fund his treatment.
As well as parting with jewellery, the family have even sold property in a bid to help Aswanth’s recovery.
Yet, his father Sammaiah, a lorry cleaner, and mother Ramadevi, a housewife, have exhausted all of their resources and are no longer able to support his therapy.
A boy is unable to use his hands due to a rare genetic disorder that fuses his fingers
Aswanth suffers from Apert syndrome, which also causes the head to grow abnormally large
Over the past two years, Aswanth’s parents have sold their possessions to fund his treatment
‘It has gotten very severe’
As Aswanth’s condition was only fully diagnosed in July this year, his condition has reached an advanced stage, meaning he requires extensive surgery to correct his deformities.
His parents need to raise one million rupees (£12,000) for reconstructive surgery, with treatment not initiating until at least half of that money is available.
A crowdfunding campaign, which has raised 80,000 rupees to date, has been started.
Rajesh R M, who initiated the fundraising campaign, said, ‘Aswanth is from my village. I started the campaign because his parents were in dire need of funds.
‘The boy had started showing symptoms of the disorder when he was all of three years of age.
‘His parents didn’t pay much attention to his deteriorating condition and today it has gotten very severe.
‘Doctors say since it’s a genetic disorder, it can’t be treated completely, however, it can be managed through other procedures.’
As well as parting with jewellery, the family have even sold property in a bid to help him
They have exhausted all of their resources and are no longer able to support his therapy