How The Power of Social Media Gave This SMA Warrior a New Life

Social media has the power to transform lives. The vision behind ImpactGuru is to create accessible and affordable healthcare for all. What drives our platform is our ImpactGuru donor community. And the community is harnessed by the power of social media. 

This story of Biraj Mukherjee, the little munchkin who is fighting SMA, is one true example of how social media can help you give a second lease on life. Who is Biraj, and how did his journey evolve, you ask? It all began in the summer of 2022…

Source - ImpactGuru

After four years of marriage, Mamta and Bijoy Mukherjee were blessed with a beautiful soul, Biraj. In Bengali literature, Biraj is a name that resonates with self-awareness and presence, and in the life of Mamta and Bijoy, their son's presence is the reason for their existence, the embodiment of their love and the light of their eyes. But little did they know that their happiness would be short-lived.

As months passed, Biraj's parents started observing some peculiar signs departing from what is ordinary in their son. At four months, a baby typically can hold their head steady without support. But Biraj couldn't perform activities like a normal child would - like keeping his head steady or crawling or any movement in his lower limbs. The concerned parents then conducted tests to confirm his diagnosis. After multiple consultations with the doctor, it was confirmed that Biraj was diagnosed with SMA.

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Spinal Muscular Atrophy, abbreviated as SMA, is a nerve disorder that is caused by a mutated gene or a missing gene that affects the motor neurons that control voluntary muscle movement. The missing gene disorder brought a lot of complications in Biraj and his parents' lives. Immobility became a part of his life, and speech became a luxury he couldn't have. The 1-year-old couldn't live the life Mamta and Bijoy imagined for him. 

Source- ImpactGuru

An SMA patient's quality of life can improve if they intake one of the world's costliest drugs- Risdiplam or Zolgensma. A medicine worth crores was the prime solution for little Biraj. The Banerjee family was stuck in a loop of distress and felt like they had nowhere to go  - "How would we save our son?" "How could we possibly gather crores of funds for one dose?" 

Biraj's mother is a homemaker, and his father is a simple worker who earns a salary that hardly fills the stomach of a family of five. To afford such an exorbitant amount for Biraj was impossible. The parents went above and beyond to raise funds. From relatives to close friends, they did their best to gather funds for their child - but it wasn't enough for the life-saving treatment their son so desperately needed.

Then there it was. A source of light that shone upon the Banerjee family in the corridors of the hospital. The Banerjee family found a glimmer of hope through a kind hospital staff member who told them about ImpactGuru - a crowdfunding platform that provides financial aid for every medical cause. It was their lifeline for Biraj. Their journey with ImpactGuru began with a leap of faith. 

Read more on SMA medications here. 

Source - ImpactGuru

After Biraj's father connected with ImpactGuru, the team helped them make a fundraising campaign. They shared their heartfelt story and spoke about Biraj's struggles, their family's hardships, and the urgent need for that costly medicine. The real turning point came with the power of social media. With emotional story posts and relevant hashtags, Biraj's story found its way into the hearts and onto the pages of countless individuals on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

The love and support Biraj’s family received were limitless. Slowly but surely, the funds began to trickle in. Biraj's parents were overjoyed to be able to afford the medicine worth crores. It's been five months since Biraj started taking the medications, and Biraj's recovery journey is still ongoing. Yet, they are elated to know that they edged closer to obtaining the life-saving medication that could make all the difference. - All because of the kind community of ImpactGuru donors and social media!

Read more on SMA success stories here.

Through it all, the Mukherjees were headstrong because of the support they received from our community of ImpactGuru donors. As Biraj continues his journey, he knows he's not alone; he has a community that stands by him at every step. 

If one of you, kind readers, wants to make a difference, join our GEM community, where our main purpose is to help transform lives, one donation at a time. ImpactGuru's Give Every Month program allows empathetic donors to support the mission of helping those with medical conditions all year round. By giving monthly, you can provide consistent assistance to those in need, ensuring that resources are available for ongoing care and support.

If you want to know more about the GEM initiative and ImpactGuru, feel free to reach us at 180 089 12903 or email us at [email protected].