A 28-year-old Afghani, only remembers his father through an encounter 27 years ago before he was kidnapped by an extremist group. Today, he still has no information as to if his father is alive or not.

But as life went on, the man pursued his education up to his 12th grade, but he could not pursue it further due to the current state of his home town and took up the job of a driver and carried passengers around the town. In 2014, the constant threat of Taliban resulted in him being transferred to Karachi in Pakistan as a refugee, where his problems doubled. He encountered a heart problem for the first time.

On calling his uncle, a building construction contractor, who is currently an Australian citizen in Melbourne, they approached the doctors together in Karachi. The doctors had tried to set an agreement that stated that he was allowed to be tested on, but they would not be responsible for any harm caused. On hearing this, he and his uncle were disheartened as every door of opportunity closed on them.

He was diagnosed with Shone’s Complex, a rare congenital heart disease consisting of multiple left heart obstructive defects. As his heart condition progressed, Mohammed’s friend at Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, where Ms Florence Gough recommended Dr K M Cherian of Frontier Lifeline Hospital in Chennai, and were able to get in touch with him. Ms Florence Gough was majorly involved in providing support as they face a lot of difficulty in getting their visas.

With the help of Dr Cherian, a letter drafted from his behalf to Visa Officer at Afghanistan, stating and facilitating the issues of their individual visa, resulting in both Ahmad and Mohammed arriving in Chennai on August 15 for the former’s surgery. Dr Cherian said “The man has been through a lot and it is very unfortunate that he had to encounter such difficulties. With the success of this surgery, he not only has another shot a life but also the chance to live a healthy one.'

'He is a young man and he has overcome many different challenges. I am sure that he will lead a good life and I am very hopeful of his future in the years to come', he said, according to a hospital release on 9th September. Ahmad was admitted for surgery on August 25. Post-surgery, he was now back on track with a check-up due six months from now. “I feel like I have been born again. I can never thank Dr. Cherian for all that he has done for me. He’s given me back my life and every little thing that I feel, feels new to me. My heart is beating and sometimes I place my hand on it to see if it is real, because all this feels like a dream', Ahmad said.

Dr Cherian and his team will always remain in my heart and memory for as long as I live”, he added. “My heart was under constant stress. I had trouble breathing, there was pressure and pain. Now, after my surgery, I feel like a brand new person. I cannot wait to see my family and I feel none of the troubles I faced before my surgery. I miss my home and my country”, he said.