Sheeru, proud dad to Jaanvi, shares his parenting experiences and how greater accessibility supports his daughter’s wellbeing
Sheeru was determined that if he ever had the chance to be a dad, he wanted to there for his child. He’d always wanted a daughter and was thrilled when he and his ex-wife had Jaanvi.
“She’s my everything. I’ll do anything for her,” he says. “And I have sacrificed a lot just to be with her and give her full care.”
Jaanvi has had to face a lot for an eleven-year-old. She was in the hospital for the first nine months of her life. She had multiple health complications with her lungs and heart. When Jaanvi was discharged from the hospital, the doctors suggested she move to palliative care, believing she wouldn’t live long.
But Jaanvi’s parents didn’t want to give up hope. They moved home instead. Leaving the hospital seemed to be the change Jaanvi needed. She started breathing on her own and her lungs and heart began to improve.
This was only the start of a long journey. “As a child, she doesn’t remember all that. But as a parent, obviously, you’re scarred, and you always will be because you’ve seen all what she went through and what she’s still going through right now,” Sheeru says. Jaanvi has many other health issues, including hip dysplasia and scoliosis; she uses a wheelchair and still needs full-time care for her daily needs.
Sheeru has turned to Variety for multiple grants to make it easier to move Jaanvi around, including a wheelchair ramp up the steps into his house and an adaptive van. These adaptations make it easier take Jaanvi on outings. It’s also brought physical relief for Sheeru; he’d already injured his back from transferring Jaanvi.
“Before, when we had the opportunity to do activities, it was hard to move her around,” Sheeru says. “I’m very grateful that Variety was there. I couldn’t have done this on my own.”
Sheeru feels especially supported knowing there is a community who is there to support him and Jaanvi. “Other parents or people who have same difficulties or challenges, they understand what we’re going through,” he says. “That is a really special thing, knowing they donate for such a good cause.”
Jaanvi enjoys school and moving in time to her favourite Punjabi and Hindi kids songs. And her opportunities have expanded with accessibility upgrades to her home and van.
Sheeru knows life will get tougher for Jaanvi as she gets older and her care becomes more complicated. “Her normal is different than any other kid’s normal,” he says. “When she’s at her normal, she’s not in pain or discomfort. She’s happy.”
Seeing Jaanvi suffer has been the hardest experience Sheeru has ever faced. He’s had to slowly learn to care for his own mental and physical wellbeing as well, something that felt impossible in those early years. Jaanvi motivates him to do whatever it takes to be there for her.
“She’s been through such hardships and she gets through everything, any obstacle that comes her way,” he says. “It might take a long time, but she proves everybody wrong. I know a lot has to do with how her mom and I take care of her. But there have been so many times where we could have given up on her, but she kept fighting and showing life and hope, like she was saying, ‘No. Help me get through.’”