Mental health care should not be a luxury
Tansa Valley, India—Among the residents of the Tansa Valley, as with any population, there are those who struggle with mental illness. PRASAD Chikitsa has responded with a Mental Health Program, housed in the Anukampaa Health Center. Read more…
Kids who enjoy seeing a dentist
Hurleyville, NY—Imagine a child looking forward a trip to the dentist! It sounds far-fetched, but PRASAD Children’s Dental Health Program (PRASAD CDHP) is making it a reality.
Through education, outreach and positive experiences, we are changing how our patients feel about a trip to the dentist! Here is one of many patients who agree. Read more…
Donate now and we’ll DOUBLE it!
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Donor, Margareta Blix, is celebrating the life of her beloved late sister, Gudrun, with a grant of up to $20,000 that will provide a dollar-to-dollar match for new donations to PRASAD Children's Dental Health Program (PRASAD CDHP) received through October 31, 2010. Read more...
“Paddlers for Humanity” Open Ocean Paddle to benefit PRASAD Children’s Dental Health Program
Sunday, September 5th
(rain date September 6th)
Save the Date & Register!
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Vikas: PRASAD's Loving Care Opens a Boy's Heart
Vikas (name changed) was first brought to the Muktananda Mobile Hospital (MMH) by his older sister. He was seven years old and had been having repeated upper respiratory and ear infections. His parents recently had died of AIDS. Vikas and his four siblings were tested for HIV infection, and Vikas’ test came back positive.
When Vikas first came to the mobile hospital, he refused to speak to the staff and his face was a mask of sadness. One could sense he longed for love and affection, but had shut it out. Vikas’ medical condition continued to deteriorate; his CD4 test (to test the level of a specific white blood cell that helps to fight infections) was dropping. He was started on a course of treatment for TB and after completing the treatment, was placed on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), to which he responded very well. Slowly his mask began to dissolve, and he allowed the MMH staff to play and interact with him.
Now, six years later, Vikas, 13, is thriving. He has grown and put on weight, is regularly attending school and is passing his exams. He has opened his heart to the love of the PRASAD staff, coming for his monthly check-ups with a smile on his face and arms open and eager for their hugs.
Shalu: PRASAD Gave Me a Second Life
Shalu,
48 years old, and her husband worked in a brick factory to support their
family of three children. One day she came to the Muktananda Mobile Hospital
stop at Depivali, complaining of vaginal bleeding. Her examination revealed
abnormalities in the cervix, so she was sent to Gurudev Siddha Peeth Anukampaa
Health Center to be seen by visiting gynecologist Dr. Joshi, who did a
biopsy at no charge. The biopsy revealed stage 2 cervical cancer, necessitating
a hysterectomy.
Shalu and her husband could not afford the high cost of the surgery, so Dr. Joshi, along with oncology surgeon Dr. Sequeira, from Holy Spirit Hospital in Mumbai, waived their consultation and surgery fees.
PRASAD Chikitsa helped by paying for her pre-operation tests, and a PRASAD driver donated blood. One of PRASAD’s nurses made post-operative visits to Shalu to change her dressings, and two PRASAD Chikitsa outreach workers accompanied her to all her consultations, lab tests and surgery. Post-operative radiotherapy was recommended, and since no facilities for the treatment were available in the area, PRASAD arranged for the radiotherapy through coordination with Cama Hospital, Mumbai.
Shalu has responded satisfactorily to the treatment and is very grateful to PRASAD Chikitsa for diagnosing her cancer and helping her through all the stages of its treatment. She says that she owes her “second life” to PRASAD.
Sudhakar: PRASAD Stood by Me All These Years
Sudhakar, 45, came to Muktananda Mobile Hospital about six years ago, complaining of generalized weakness and breathlessness. His exam revealed heart disease, and he was advised to go for further tests at a medical facility equipped to deal with cardiac patients.
Shocked and frightened, Sudhakar did not want to go elsewhere for tests or treatment; he pleaded with the PRASAD Chikitsa staff to treat him instead. Though it was very difficult to do so only on clinical grounds without the support of tests, PRASAD agreed to support him and began conservative management of his heart disease with regular check ups and medications. The staff also continually encouraged him to get past his fears and undergo the tests.
Sudhakar was very regular in his follow-up over the next few years, but slowly started deteriorating. Finally, in the summer of 2007, he was convinced by PRASAD Chikitsa medical staff to get the tests, which showed congenital heart disease and the need for surgery. PRASAD arranged for Sudhakar to be operated on at Nair Hospital, Mumbai, by Dr. Kanak Nagle, who had operated on other heart patients PRASAD Chikitsa had referred to him.
Since Sudhakar’s ill health had prevented him from working, he had no money for the surgery. Through PRASAD Chikitsa’s contacts and Dr. Nagle’s help, funds for the surgery were secured through a government program, and Sudhakar finally had heart surgery in August 2007. Dr.R.S. Pandey, project manager for Gurudev Siddha Peeth Anukampaa Health Center, along with outreach worker Santosh Mhaskar, visited Sudhakar during his long stay in the hospital.
After his return home, Sudhakar came to PRASAD to thank the staff for all their efforts – from treating him, to motivating him to get the testing, to arranging for the surgery and the financing to cover it. As the staff sat with Sudhakar and reminisced about the tense moments of concern and the positive final outcome, he blushed and smiled. He is now doing fine and faithfully comes to PRASAD for his follow-up care. Sudhakar says he is grateful to PRASAD for standing by him all these years, to make sure he got the treatment that has saved his life.