Update as of 8/19/2024 This campaign is for a 2 month old baby in Kabul Afghanistan. He has been diagnosed with a rare heart condition called Interrupted Aortic Arc and needs an immediate surgery to survive. This is an urgent request to donate to save his life. Why am I doing this for this baby? This baby is the nephew of a former colleague I worked with in Afghanistan for 5 years. He reached out to me in distress to help his nephew. My colleague is honorable, humble, honest and kind, and I could never forgive myself if I didn't support him and his family in this dire situation. I can't help them on my own, so I am requesting a community effort to get to $10,000 USD. This cost would pay for Mehran's surgery and the special transportation that he needs to travel with oxygen equipment for several days. Aseel will distribute the cash directly to the family, with receipts and proof to share with all of the contributors and the family will share updates of Mehran before the surgery and after the surgery. Thank you to all of your kind and caring hearts that have already contributed, and to those who have shared his story to your networks. I'm praying we get the money in time and together we can save Mehran's life.   _______ ________ ___________ __________ ___________________ ________ __________ Letter from Mehran Hello, my name is Mehran. I was born on June 30, 2024, in a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, and from the moment I entered the world, I struggled to breathe. The doctors immediately provided me with extra oxygen, but my condition worsened. They suspected I might have a lung problem and placed me on a ventilator while they tried to figure out what was wrong with me. Since I have been born, I've been on and off a ventilator as my breathing issues continue. After running many tests, the doctors believed I had contracted a virus that is attacking my lungs. I was put on the strongest and most expensive antibiotics available for a newborn like me. While my lung condition has improved, I still cannot breathe on my own, even every doctor who has seen me is baffled. After a month and a half of intense struggle, countless tests, and exhausting my immediate and extended family’s financial resources, the doctors ran a CT scan on me. They discovered that I have a condition called Interrupted Aortic Arch (IAA). This is a rare heart defect where the aorta—the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body—doesn’t form completely. It is the missing piece in the aorta that is making it incredibly difficult for me to breathe. I am currently dependent on supplemental oxygen and ventilators, but for me to breathe on my own and survive, I urgently need surgery. The healthcare infrastructure in Afghanistan is fragile and has limited access to quality care for millions of Afghans across the country. Hospitals and clinics are often underfunded, lacking essential medical supplies, equipment, and trained personnel. There is a shortage of specialized care, particularly in fields like cardiology and pediatric surgery. Conditions that require advanced medical interventions, such as Mehran’s rare heart defect, are often beyond the capabilities of Afghan healthcare facilities and that’s why medical attention is needed abroad. This complex surgery cannot be performed in Afghanistan and my only hope is to travel to Pakistan, where the surgery can be done. The cost of this life-saving procedure is estimated to be around $10,000 to $12,000 and my family cannot afford this right now, but I cannot have a chance at life without out. I am humbly asking for your support to help me get this surgery. Any donation, no matter the size, will bring me one step closer to recovery. Please consider helping me in this critical time. Thank you for your kindness and generosity. Mehran