This is Baby of Geetha, the third child sponsored by Hearts Across the Ocean. Baby of Geetha is a boy. Traditionally, babies in India are not named at birth and this still generally holds true for Southern India which is a bit more traditional than the rest of the country. They will have a naming ceremony when the baby is 11 days old, but it is usually just an affectionate nickname that is given at that time. A formal name is not usually given until the child is ready to go to pre-school and must officially register with the local authorities. So our baby remains "Baby of Geetha", even though he is already 3 months old!

The mother and father are young adults and from a poor farming family. They have both received college degrees through the government system of giving free education to the poor classes. However, because of the poor economy in their village, neither the father nor mother have work. Usually the young married couple will live with the husband's family, but in this case, they are living with the family of Geetha. They are very poor and barely able to meet their daily needs.

They came to the Amrita Institure of Medical Sciences and Research or A.I.M.S. for the treatment when the baby was only 28 days old. He had been suffering from severe jaundice and pneumonia as well as the blue color. It was only then that they discovered the life-threatening condition of his heart. They had to wait for the surgery until he had become healthy and recovered from the pneumonia. So they gave him medicines and fed him well (through his mother). When the baby was healthy enough to survive the major surgery, AIMS doctors set the date. You might notice that the baby is a little plump (for an Indian baby born in a poor family). The family will make sure that the baby is well fed, because he represents their future, and they want to give him the best chance to recover from the surgery. The rest of the family will go without food so that the mother and baby can have nourishment.

The baby's mother, Geetha, says she feels so fortunate that poor people like themselves can receive treatment from such a excellent hospital. Moreover, she feels that it is the love they received from the doctors and staff at AIMS and from all the well-wishers and donors that made the surgery possible, that saved her baby. She extends her warmest and humblest thanks.

---