August 2020 was an exceptional month for Mumbai-based engineer Mihir Kamat and his wife Priyanka. It began with elation when they became parents to a baby girl, Teera. She was born normal and weighed a healthy 3 kg.
“Three weeks after she was born, her breathing would get heavy while feeding,” says Kamat. “Initially, the doctors thought it was normal and prescribed bottle feeding.” Two weeks later, when she was taken to the hospital, the doctors again proclaimed her healthy.
It struck Kamat during her vaccinations that all wasn’t well with Teera. Unlike normal babies who would cry in pain when given injections, his daughter didn’t seem distressed. “She kept smiling,” says Kamat. “And she wouldn’t push away or show any reflexes.” That’s when they decided, upon their doctor’s suggestion, to take her to a neurologist. And their worst fear came true.
The Kamats’s two-month-old baby was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1, a genetic disease affecting the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and voluntary muscle movement. The disorder attacks the baby’s nerves and muscles, and as it progresses, makes it difficult for them to carry out basic activities like sitting, swallowing milk, and even breathe. SMA affects one in 10,000 babies and is the biggest genetic cause of infant deaths worldwide.
Denne historien er fra December 4, 2020-utgaven av Forbes India.
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Denne historien er fra December 4, 2020-utgaven av Forbes India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure
Living Waters
A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet
