Rupa's Vrindavan Diary

Ragini at the hospital after surgery

2008-05-15T06:20:00.000-07:00

2008-05-13T00:36:00.000-07:00

GOOD NEWS!
Bhagavati's operation was sucessful. She came to our school and saw our school doctor, who changed the dressing and said that there is no infection and it is healing nicely.

The operation was a "bone graft" which means that tissue was grafted to fill in the places where the bone had become hollow from being broken multiple times and left without treatment.

We will send Bhagavati back to Delhi on 20th April for a check up and to have the stitches taken out. She is very happy and no longer in pain, THANK YOU!

2008-05-09T05:46:00.000-07:00

Thankyou to Bharat and Asha Patel who, despite making a recent donation, were once again moved by this case and have donated the entire amount to make sure that this little girl is looked after.

Young girl wants to feel normal

2008-05-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

____________Ragini is a ten year old girl who has been suffering with her hand in this shape for the last 7 months. She was playing at melting a plastic bag but the play went wrong and the bag melted onto her hand, burning it badly. She has been on our waiting list for on month as we have pushed ahead more urgent cases, but now we feel that her turn has come up. It is a fairly inexpensive operation, just US$210 to give her back the use of her hand.

2008-05-05T17:03:00.000-07:00

Thankyou to Sara Berggren who donated the last $300 for Bhagavati's operation. Also a big thankyou to Goverdhanji who has contributed an extra $50 which we will use to make sure that Bhagavati has everything she needs while she is in hospital.

A big thanks to all Bhagavati's donors, we will post updates on her progress as soon as we can.

Just a few more $ needed

2008-05-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

Thanx to the pledges of help from and Asha and Bharat from San Diego ($300) and Ashleigh Lincoln ($50); we have now raised a total of $1050, meaning that we just need another $300 before we can send Bhagavati for her operation.

2008-04-29T21:41:00.000-07:00

Heeeeeeeeeelp

As you can see from recent blog posts we have had some really great support but there are always more cases needing urgent medical attention, so please tell your friends and family about this blog. On April 12th we posted the story of Bhagavati who is in terrible pain and cannot walk. We know that it is quite a considerable amount of money that is needed but if everyone chips in a little, together we will get the job done. Watch this space for the progress of the campaign.
Many thanks to the following people for helping out :

Pratiba Jethwani £50 (US$98.5)

Nilesh Patel £34 (US $67.00) + a pledge to raise money from customers

Nileshbhai £251 ( US $494.50)

Running total: $700.00 (only $650 to go)

Malati visits Santoshi and Somnath

2008-04-29T19:41:00.000-07:00

Pictured here is Malati from GANGA saree shop in Zangreb, who came to Vrindavan to see the family who she and her customers raised funds for (see blog post for Wed March 12th 2008 for details) . We thank them very much, and wish to let them know that their support is extremely valuable to us and to the benificiaries.

Thank you Bharat ji.

2008-04-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

A kind sould from USa has sent the remaining $300 for Rajanath (Sundar) recovery expenses and for some food grains for the family.
On behalf of the Brajabasi.
Thank you

Help a young girl get back to school

2008-04-12T05:36:00.000-07:00

Bhagavati is a 17 year old girl who has not attended school for the last two months because she cannot walk due to pain in her leg. Bhagavati has broken her leg four times in the same place. Her family could not afford proper medical treatment and the leg was never put in plaster. In 2002, FFLV with help from sponsor helped Bhagavati, for three years she was under treatment and twice she underwent surgery.
here's some photos of her taken in 2002 when we found her, and other taken after the surgery.

When we left her in 2005 she was walking and had no pain. Now after almost three year later some complications are coming back, for the last 2-3 months the leg has started paining badly again. X rays show that she has a condition called Osteomilitis, which means that the bone is very thin and is malformed. The malformations are pressing on the nerves in her leg, causing her to be in great pain whenever she walks.
We need to send her to Delhi again for another operation. The sooner it is done the better because Bhagavati is missing out on her chance to get an education and a brighter future. The entire cost of the operation (plus travel to Delhi and medicines) will be US$1350.
Please contribute to helping to stop this young girl's suffering.
Email to me ASAP rupa@fflvrindavan.org

Anybody out there......?

2008-04-12T05:02:00.000-07:00

We are still waiting for funds to cover the costs of Rajanath's medicines and already we have another urgent case (as well as many less urgent cases on the waiting list). We still need at least US$295 to help Rajanath's family with cost of medicines and to provide some extra food for him. We are posting this next case in the hope that people will come forth to help both cases.

Update

2008-04-09T04:36:00.000-07:00

We recently visited Rajanath at home. We found that he is living in a tiny room with 5 other people. His mother is blind and his father is fruit seller. The good news is that Harsha, UK has helped out with $US205 towards medicines and a home nurse to change dressings. We still need at least US$300 to help with medical care. We would also like to contribute something for the family's groceries for the next few months because even when their son was working, the family was struggling.

Ongoing support needed

2008-04-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

Raganath (also known as Sundar) is returning to his home but will still need several months of post operative care, antibiotics, pain killers etc. We have received around US$2000. Luckily this was enough to pay for some basic hospital care. We need at least another US$500 to support his family with his aftercare (we will keep you updated on how the treatment is progressing).

The family has no means of paying for his continuing treatment, and this treatment is vital so that all the work that the hospital has done in reconstructing bones etc is not ruined by infection. Please continue to do what you can to ensure this young man has the best possible future after this horrible accident.

2008-04-07T04:06:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to report that Sundar (real name is Rajanath) is being discharged from hospital today. He had several operations to reconstruct his skull, ribs and arms. Thanks to the kind donations of blog viewers,
Vijay and his friends from Canada
Michelle, canada
Bharat, California
Dinanath, Washington DC.
Suan U.K
...this young man is saved from a life of unnecessary pain due to poorly healed injuries. He is being discharged from hospital and is returning to his home today. For further details on this case see next blog.

Updates on little Gopal

2008-04-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

We are happy to let you know that a kind soul, (not directly related with us) has donated for the full treatment of Gopal.
With the donor's permission we will redirect the donations we received for Gopal to Sundar, the boy who was involved in a bad road accident, as reported in our previous posting.
More updates soon..

Help for Sundar the boy victim of an accident

2008-03-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

We have received the first donation towards Sundar medical need after his terrible accident.
Danielle from Canada has donated US$ 300.
Anyone else out there?
please email to me asap: rupa@fflvrindavan.org

Gopal will have his heart surgery soon

2008-03-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Vijay and his friends in Canada we have received the needed US$ 700. Gopal will have his surgery done as soon as possible, we'll keep you posted.

Accident Victim Desperately Needs Help

2008-03-18T00:10:00.000-07:00

On 16^th of March there was a terrible road accident in which Sundar broke his skull, his arm,several ribs and lost the skin off his face. Sundar is only 18 years old.He works hard as a construction worker. He was traveling home from work in a tempo (open car) when the accident happened. He was sitting in the front passengers seat when the tempo crashed into a 4wd. Sundar sustained terrible injuries. He is one of 7 children and his family does not have the money to pay for his bone and skin reconstruction. He is presently in critical condition in Agra hospital.The family made an appeal local villagers who donated RS 50 000 for the initial hospitalization but the family has no further ability to raise funds. The operations will cost around RS 200 000 (US5200). Almost half of his body has been affected and without proper treatment he will never be able to work again and will be in constant pain.
You are his only hope...

More responses to our appeals.

2008-03-16T22:51:00.001-07:00

We are pleased to inform you that Danielle has donated $100 for Gopal's surgery, (bringing the total to $1000) and one month supply of grains for Santoshi, her brother and the grand mother.
Also GANGA - saree shop from Zagreb has donated for one full year supply to Santoshi and family.
So right now we have supply covered for the next 13 months.
Still we need $700 to cover for Gopal Surgery....

We have received some donations but more is needed.

2008-03-13T02:02:00.000-07:00

Thank you:
Dinanath, $500 towards Gopal's heart surgery
Suan, $100 also towars Gopal's
Bharat $300 for Gopal and three months grains ($120) for Santoshi and her brother.

So we have $900 for Gopal surgery and we need another $800. Anyone out there?
We are going ahead as time is critical and we are confident that some other kind soul will come forward...

Ys rupa

2008-03-12T06:05:00.000-07:00

Santoshi and Somnath are students at S.M.S. They are staying with their grandmother who is suffering from Leprosy. She earns her bread by begging. Often it is difficult for her to get enough food for her grandkids. She is 65 years old and sometimes, when she is sick, she can't go out to beg. Often she cannot afford the medicine that she needs. Santoshi and Somnath are well behaved and good at their studies but their family environment makes it difficult for them to concentrate on their studies.

This family desperately needs a donor to support them so they will have enough to eat. For Rs 1500 (US $39.50) per month we can provide them their monthly need of grains, oil, salt etc. If you have the ability to fully or partially support this struggling family please contact me at rupa@fflvrindavan.org

Santoshi and Somnath with their Grandmother in their tiny room.

Little Gopal needs your help to again run and play.

2008-03-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

Father – Vinod Shahu – about 40 years old
Mother – Meenu Devi – about 35 years old
Number of children – 6.
Gopal is a six year old boy. Six months back he got sick and was taken to Ram Kishan hospital in Vrindavan . The doctor told his mother that the boy has TB and started the treatment. There was no improvement and his condition got worse. The doctors referred him to a heart specialist from Delhi.

The Specialist said that the boy has a hole in his heart and needs to be operated on. The expenses will be around Rs 60,000-Rs 70,000 (US$ 1,700).
There are 5 daughters in the family, Gopal is the only son.
Gopal's father is a laborer, he has already spent Rs 4,000 on Gopal's treatment and he does not have any more money for the surgery.

Gopal desperately needs surgery so that he can live a normal life and run and play together with other children. Without this surgery, his life will be drastically shortened.
If you wish to help Gopal in full or partially, please email me ASAP at:
rupa@fflvrindavan.org

A young mother in need of help (CORRECTION)

2008-02-29T04:27:00.000-08:00

After a second test in another hospital Sudha Singh was admited yesterday, 28/02 and will be discharged today afternoom. She should follow a clinical treatment, during one month. If nothing bad happens, she will not need any surgery.
The expenses are about 2.500 (two thousands and five hundreds rupees) including the medicines for one month. If by any chance she will need any surgery, all the amount will not be more than 12.000 (twelve thousands rupees).
We are happy that after a second investigation the costing has come down drastically.
A kind soul from UK has already donated for Sudha's treatment.
We will post update as we go along. In the meantime, thanks to all of you listening to our prayers...
ys rupa

Bicycles for girls

2008-02-27T17:21:00.000-08:00

Dear Seema Ganatra on behalf of these fortunate girls our best wishes to you for your generous donation.

A young mother in need of help

2008-02-26T06:41:00.000-08:00

From Burja village, we found a desperate emergency case.
Name- Sudha, Age- 26 Years
Husband's name- Manpratap, Labourer, use to migrate place to place for work.
2 children, 1 boy-1 girl, both are in our school.
She is very sick and Doctor of R.K. Mission said that she need an immediate
operation, she has a tumor in the stomach. the operation will cost Rs.35,000
She is very poor, staying in rented house, no money.
For help please email to me asap: rupa@fflvrindavan.org