Date:11/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/11/stories/2006011107141200.htm

National

A gift from the President

Patna: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam came to the rescue of the poor parents of a 13-year-old heart patient, Anshu, when he announced he would pay for her treatment.

Anshu is afflicted with a serious heart ailment and is to be operated on at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi.

Anshu's parents were overjoyed after they received a letter from Mr. Kalam, saying he would bear the full expenditure for the treatment.

Earlier, the parents had returned a cheque for Rs. 25,000 from the President in response to their appeal for the expensive treatment. Since the amount was insufficient, the family had decided to try raising money by other means.

When Mr. Kalam came to know through newspapers that the girl's mother was considering selling one of her kidneys, he wrote to the family conveying his decision. — UNI