Dipesh

My name is Dipesh and I am 8 years old. I am in the 4th grade at the local primary school. My teachers feel I am making average progress, despite regularly missing school due to bleeds. My favorite subjects this year are English and Nepali. I dream of being a doctor when I grow up. When I am not in school, I enjoy spending time playing with friends. I have been diagnosed with severe hemophilia A. I experienced bleeds in my knees, ankles, and gums over the past six months. My family helps me manage minor bleeds from home with icepacks and rest. For more serious bleeds, I receive infusions of factor at the local hospital. The hospital is 10km from our home. To get there, my family must use public transportation, which cost $3 each trip. My doctor believes I would benefit from physiotherapy, but services are not available in my area. I live with my parents and older brother and sister in a village in Nepal. My father, Chatra works as a laborer and earns about $130 a month. My mother, Parbati, is a housewife. My siblings are both students. My family lives in a small simple shelter that is made of wood, mud, and tin. Our home has electricity but lacks indoor plumbing. We are able to access water outside and cook our meals over a charcoal fire. With funds from Save One Life, we recently purchased a refrigerator. From left: Diwas (brother), Chatra (father), myself, Parbati (mother), and Dipa (sister)