Baby Born With Heart Outside Chest - 'God Has Plans,' Father Says of Son

By Sami K. Martin, Christian Post Reporter Monday, March 31, 2014

A baby boy has been born in India with his heart outside of his chest. His parents are desperate for the medical procedure he needs in order to save his life and have made public appeals for financial assistance in saving their son's life.

The baby boy, still unnamed by his parents, has managed to defy all odds and survive six days with his heart outside of his chest. But time is running out, and his parents, Priyanka and Nirbhay Pal are trying to get him the help that he needs in order to remain alive. They have come forward with their story in order to hopefully raise the funds they need to pay for the surgery.

"The doctors said we should go to a private hospital and get surgery done, but I am a poor man," Nirbhay told the Mirror. "We can barely afford two square meals a day. I don't know what to do. We are hoping that the government will help us. I have put everything at stake to save my child. We are feeling so helpless. We don't know where to go."

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So far there has been no word from the government, but the baby has already defied the odds by living more than three days. Normally, babies born with their hearts outside their chests are stillborn or perish within the first three days of life. It's an incredibly rare situation and one of utter desperation for the poor family in India.

"We were hoping that we would have a happy journey from here on, but God had planned something else," Nirbhay told Express News. "We have been blessed with a son, but his life is in the balance."

Last year, a baby girl born in Texas was born with the same condition and had the life-saving surgery she needed to survive. The little girl, named Audrina, is now happy and healthy, continually defying the odds.

"She's just wonderful," her mother, Ashley Cardenas, told Today's Janet Shamlian. "Just a wonderful little baby. She's really the best baby anybody could ask for. She's really smiley at all times, so I think she's going to enjoy life to the fullest."