New Delhi

Most people may sympathise with those in distress, but only a few take the initiative to help. When social media influencer Khalifa and his friends saw a distressed mother holding her crying toddler outside AIIMS in South Delhi, they decided to step in.

What began as a small effort to help the family eventually grew into a fundraising campaign that has collected around ₹6 crore, against the ₹9 crore reportedly required for the treatment of the child, who is suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1, a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness.

Khalifa and his friends initially approached passersby outside AIIMS for help. They later took the campaign to Jama Masjid, where they appealed to worshippers after Friday prayers.

The youths explained the child's condition, the treatment required and the family's financial difficulties. They also wore T-shirts carrying photographs and details of the mother and child and displayed a QR code to enable people to make digital donations.

As worshippers emerged from the mosque after Friday prayers, many stopped to hear the appeal. People contributed according to their means, while some offered prayers and others expressed their willingness to support the child's treatment.

The mother and child being Hindus made no difference to anyone as everyone wished to chip in to save a life.

The campaign thus moved beyond a hospital entrance to one of Delhi's major public religious spaces, bringing together people who were willing to help a family facing a medical crisis.

People donating for child's treatment at Jama Masjid

According to the child's mother, her daughter spends most of her time in bed and needs assistance even to drink a glass of water. She finds it particularly painful to see children of her daughter's age playing, running and enjoying their childhood while her own daughter remains largely confined to bed because of the illness.

SMA is a genetic disorder that affects motor neurons and can lead to severe muscle weakness. SMA Type 1 is the most severe form of the condition and generally develops in infancy.

According to the family, the child's treatment requires a specific injection that is said to cost more than ₹9 crore.

For the mother, however, the campaign is about much more than reaching a financial target. It represents a chance to give her daughter a healthier life and allow her to experience the simple joys of childhood.

ALSO READ: Kashmir's Everester Nahida Manzoor wants more women to climb peaks

Her greatest wish, she says, is to see her daughter healthy and living like other children her age, and to hear her lovingly call out “mother” again.