By Kiran Kumar
Mysore:
What might be the plight of the aged, sick and bedridden people who are left to die by their own family members? Bed-sores, stench, unbearable pain and on the top of it, the feeling of hurt for being discarded by their kin, waiting for death in the even-ing of their lives. Many of them are like breathing corpses, ailing from cancer, HIV +ve and other such incurable ailments.
Who is going to take care of them? Well, there is a group of people who have dedicated themselves for this purpose — they are the volunteers of Swami Vivekananda Aaraike Kendra, a unit of the city-based Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement. The Kendra, a shelter for such ailing, bedridden and uncared for beings, was set up in October 2011 and is silently serving mankind with their mantra, “Fear not, for we are with you.”
The volunteers identify bedridden patients ailing from cancer, paralysis etc. and treat them at their homes. The Kendra assimilates information from the villages of the district and from the hospitals about such ailing persons needing care and attention and then do the necessary nursing. This also makes the family members of the ailing persons change their attitude and become compassionate.
The Kendra has a total of 14 staff members including two doctors, one staff nurse and two counsellors. They tour around the seven taluks of the district and extend their services. On Thursdays, counselling is done for select patients at the Centre on K.R. Hospital road in Mandi Mohalla.
At present, the Kendra’s team is taking care of 129 patients in 40 villages. About 1,000 persons suffering from lifestyle diseases, out of the 4,000 surveyed, also are being treated by the Kendra.
The Kendra does not get any foreign funds or aids from the government. They have to mobilise their own resources for which they raise donations from educational institutions and industries, collecting One Rupee from each donor to pay the salaries of 14 staff members and a staff nurse. Others, including the doctors, are volunteers offering free service.
The Kendra provides service to 4,500 AIDS patients, of which 1,500 are children, comprising 206 HIV +ve. Many have lost their parents. Such orphans are given government grants of Rs. 750 per month while children of single parent get Rs. 650 grant each.
You too can help
For this noble cause, you too can contribute your mite either by donating materials like bed-spreads, blankets, wheel chairs, crutches, drugs, walking sticks that are lying idle in your house or by donating cash. Major cash donations will be given tax rebate under the 80G rule. Interested may contact M.N. Hemath [99459-55879] or Manoj Sebastian [99725-28007]
source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / General News / March 17th, 2012