Hi, my name is Sakshi, and I'm fundraising for my younger brother, Vinay.

Our story started very differently from what most people might imagine. Growing up, we spent our childhood in orphanages in India after being abandoned by our parents. For me, education became my way forward. Studying abroad was the only goal I worked towards. Countless nights of preparing for exams, knocking on university doors asking for a full ride, while advocating for care leavers' (children who grew up in orphanages & foster care) rights on platforms such as UNICEF. It took me seven years of relentless hard work - building my profile with high grades and winning national-level competitions and eventually, I received a 100% scholarship to study in the UK and went on to start my career in London in 2021.

But throughout all of this, one thing never changed: Vinay has always been my little brother and looking after him has always been my utmost priorities.

Hand in hand, from our first day in the orphanage to now, we have come a long way. And no two journeys are the same.

Vinay was born with a congenital heart condition and suffered a stroke at the age of two and a half, which damaged almost 80% of the left side of his brain and further led to paralysis on the right side of his body. Nevertheless, he never gave up. He managed to adapt to his physical and mental disability. He went to school and tried his best even though at the time no one in our family understood or was willing to accept the challenges he faced on a daily basis. He survived abandonment, grew up in orphanages, and has lived with cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities. He has undergone multiple surgeries and countless hospital visits throughout his life.

But If you met Vinay today, his medical history probably wouldn't be the first thing you'd notice.

You'd notice his smile. His sense of humour. His determination. The way he gets excited about the smallest things. And most importantly, his ability to keep moving forward.

At a recent cardiology check-up, Vinay's doctor told us that within the next 6–18 months, he will need a pulmonary valve replacement to protect his heart and give him the best chance of continuing to live a healthy and active life.

Thankfully, medical advances mean this can be done without traditional open-heart surgery. The new valve can be delivered through a catheter inserted through a small access point in the groin and guided into the heart.

This is a major heart procedure, and the estimated cost of the valve, procedure, hospital stay, investigations and recovery are around £15,000.

I always wanted to build a life that would allow me to give my brother the best opportunities possible. While working full-time in the UK and building my career, I have continued to help fund his care, education, daily and medical needs in India. Those who live and work in London know how difficult it is to handle the current inflation level and overall economic situation in the country. Despite this high cost of living, I continue to take care of my brother, who is an adult with special needs. I am committed to contributing as much as I possibly can, as I always have. But this time, the cost of his surgery is bigger than anything I can manage on my own.

Whether you donate £1, £5 or simply by sharing this page with someone else, you're becoming part of something much bigger than a fundraiser. You're joining a community of people, who believe that when thousands of small acts of kindness come together, they can change one person's future.

If this story reaches enough people- together as a big community - we can make this surgery possible.

This is how your donation will help:

If we raise 25% (£3,750):

- This will cover essential diagnostic tests, consultations, scans, pre-operative investigations and part of the hospital deposit.

If we raise 50% (£7,500):

- This will cover a significant portion of the pulmonary valve replacement surgery.

If we reach 100% (£15,000):

- Vinay will be able to undergo the complete pulmonary valve replacement surgery, including hospital admission, surgeon's fees, anaesthesia, ICU stay, medications and postoperative care.

If you are unable to donate, simply sharing this fundraiser with your friends, family or colleagues would mean the world to us.

I will be sharing regular updates throughout this journey, including hospital information, treatment progress and exactly how the funds are being used, so that everyone who supports Vinay can follow his journey with us.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading our story.

And thank you for believing that sometimes, even as small as £1 really can make a life-changing difference.

With gratitude,

Sakshi & Vinay ❤️