Couple in battle to save street child Anjali’s life (From Craven Herald)

Gargrave couple raise funds for live-saving surgery

10:10am Thursday 28th January 2010 in News

An Indian street child with a hole in her heart is to have life-saving surgery thanks to a Gargrave couple.

Six-year-old Anjali – whose 23-year-old mother has six other daughters, including twins – was born with a hole in her heart. And, without surgery, Anjali will weaken and eventually die – probably in about a year’s time.

Luckily, her family has become friends with Jim and Susan Brosnan, who first visited Goa on their honeymoon in 1996.

And on Saturday the couple are staging a music and curry evening at Bradley Village Hall to help raise £1,600 needed to pay for the surgery.

The couple have been on subsequent trips to India and helped many street families with gifts of clothes and food. They have also paid for healthcare and school fees.

“On the first day of our visit last October, we were upset to see Anjali had suffered a head injury and, despite the wound healing, she had a very apparent infection on her scalp and neck,” said Mr Brosnan.

“We took her and her mum to a nearby private clinic and arranged antibiotics to treat the problem.”

It was while she was at the clinic that the doctor – concerned about Anjali’s weight and size – carried out an examination that revealed a potentially serious heart murmur. A scan revealed a hole in her heart which could have been closed at birth, but had now resulted in her being frail and tired, with a life expectancy of up to 18 months.

Before they left, the Brosnans bought the family a six-man tent with their own money and cash given by guests at their hotel. “It means they can sleep in a dry shelter and away from the mosquitos during the night. We also left enough money with some local shops and a café, so that they have food until we return,” said Mrs Brosnan.

Mr and Mrs Brosnan, who used to run Eshton Hall nursing home in Gargrave, plan to return to Goa early next month when it is planned that Anjali will have the surgery needed to save her life.

Surgeons will insert coils into her heart – similar to cardiac angioplasty – and if that fails surgeons will carry out keyhole surgery with a small device implanted to close the hole.

Two or three days later she will return to her life back on the streets. To help raise the £1,600 needed to pay for the surgery, the Brosnans are staging the curry and dance night at Bradley Village Hall.

Music will be provided by The Big Heat Soul Band and the doors open at 8pm. Tickets, at £10 each are available from the Brosnans on 01756 749457 or on the door.