Impact Guru, one of India’s foremost medical crowdfunding platforms, has initiated an urgent campaign to raise ₹9 crore for 5-month-old Anshika Mandal, who is battling Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 — a rare and fatal genetic disorder. The funds are required to administer Zolgensma, a one-time gene therapy considered the most effective treatment for the condition. Anshika, the only child of Bitapi and Animesh Mandal, has been struggling with basic motor functions since birth. Without immediate intervention, children with SMA Type 1 rarely survive beyond the age of two. “Every day I watch my daughter try to cry but fail. It’s heart-wrenching,” said Bitapi, pleading for public support.
The therapy is available under Novartis’ Early Access Request Program in select Indian hospitals. The family is relying solely on public donations via Impact Guru, which has hosted several such critical campaigns in the past.
The campaign has struck a deep emotional chord in Kolkata, where residents and local NGOs have begun rallying around Anshika’s cause. Several community groups are spreading awareness across social media and WhatsApp, amplifying her parents’ desperate appeal. For more information, visit Impact Guru fundraiser. (https://www.impactguru.com/fundraiser/help-anshika-mandal)