Kochi-based auto driver Jose seeks support to raise his 11-year-old son with multiple disabilities

Jose, an auto driver from Kochi is seeking support to take care of his 11-year-old son Allan who has multiple disabilities. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability, Allan’s medical bills come up to a huge amount every month. Jose is looking forward for kind-hearted souls to help him raise his son for whom his love is unconditional.

Kochi-based Jose, an auto driver has a son with multiple disabilities. Allan, 11 years old, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability owing to which he is bed-ridden. He needs attention 24×7 due to which Jose is unable to go to work regularly. His wife Mini works as a lab technician and the family is struggling to make ends meet with their meagre monthly income. Jose is reaching out for help and wants kind-hearted souls to support him in possible ways.

Never-ending financial constraints and woes

When Allan was around eight months old, Jose and Mini noticed certain developmental delays in him. He kept getting seizures regularly. The worried parents immediately consulted him to a doctor who diagnosed Allan with multiple disabilities that is cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability. The couple were shocked. They did not know what to do next.

Jose’s family started harassing him. Since they lived in a joint family, other members were not fine with Allan being around. They even asked Jose to send his son to a shelter home, pay a monthly amount and get rid of him! But Jose’s love for his son had no boundaries.

“People used to insult me and my son. But I kept telling them that I shall take care of him till my last breath. Life or death, we shall be together in it”, says Jose.

Allan cannot do anything on his own or even talk and communicate. He keeps getting seizures at least ten to fifteen times every day. So Jose or Mini has to be around him. Mini, due to issues to her hand and weak muscles, cannot lift Allan. So Jose is the one who has to be around to help Allan.

Looking out for a ray of hope

Allan is attending school at Vimukthi, which is a few kilometers away from their home. Jose or Mini sends him in a school bus. But even the school authorities are unable to manage him now. “He has overgrown us. Allan has put on height and weight due to which most of us can’t even hold him”, says Mini who points out that the physiotherapy sessions at Vimukthi are helping him.

Jose or Mini has to make sure that the food that they give Allan is in liquid form because he cannot have solid foods. The monthly expenses for his medicines comes up to Rs 7000. The lockdown has affected the family in worse manner. “I’am scared to go out to run my auto. If I get infected by Coronavirus, then Allan is the first one who will be affected by it because his immunity is low”, says Jose.

Due to a 90 percent disability, Allan gets monthly disability pension which is only a meagre amount. A few years back, they had met former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who granted them Rs 70,000 for Allan’s medical expenses from the government fund. “We tried contacting officials now, but the current government is not helping us”, says Mini.

Apart from Allan’s medical expenses, the family needs to pay their home rent and meet other expenses as well. Their elder son is studying in class 12 and the couple needs to support him and his education too.

Desperate for money, Jose says, “I cannot imagine a life without my son Allan. In order to help him, I’am ready to knock as many doors as possible”.

Kochi-based Salman Faris who came to know about Jose’s plight is one amongst the kind souls who helped him. By spreading the message to his friends, Salman managed to collect more than Rs 60,000 which helped Jose pay his two months’ rent. “As soon as I came to know about Jose and family, I decided to help them. My friends also pooled in money in no time”, says Salman.

You can contact Jose at +91 92075-90039.

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