Parmarth Niketan’s Visionary Medical Eye Camp
October 3, 2019
Parmarth Niketan, the Divine Shakti Foundation and Samarpit Jankalyan Society Offer Eye Clinic at Swami Shukdevanand Charitable Hospital
From Sept 26th to 29th, 2019, a four-day no-fee Eye Camp, organized with Pujya Swamiji’s divine blessing and inspiration, was held at Parmarth Niketan’s Charitable Hospital and provided quality and free medical optical treatment to under-served populations from neighborhoods near and not-so-near to the ashram. More than 200 patients were treated, and 50 free cataract surgeries were performed each day.
The dedicated team of doctors from across India consisted of Dr. Mustafa Parekh and Dr. Pranay Kapadia from Mumbai; Dr. Kishore Pahuja from Pune; Dr. Hindukush Ojha from Dehradun; and Optometrist Dr. Maruee Pahuja from Pune. These compassionate medical professionals were joined by four volunteers from the Samarpit Jankalyan Society – which donated all the necessary medical and surgical material to the clinic. The volunteers were guided by Shri Shyamji from Bareilly and joined by many other volunteers from India and abroad that offered their services throughout the camp.
Lakshman’s Story:
Each one of our medical camps offer moments of success and delight that instill gratitude and feelings of inspired grace within the group of wonderful physicians and volunteers and amongst the patients that participate. One such “moment of success” for this camp is the incredible story of the nine-year-old boy Laxman Das. Laxman, his grandfather, Shree Das, and his grandmother, Vauki Devi, travelled all the way from Bihar to the Eye Camp for cataract surgery. The devoted and loving grandparents learned about our camp from one of their sons that lives in the area. At such young age poor Lakshman had no sight in his left eye. The doctors performed the procedure on him, and he was wonderfully brave and cooperative throughout the process. By God’s grace, the surgery proved to be a success! Not only Laxman was given the gift of restored-sight, however. Grandma also experienced a successful removal of cataracts!
To be safe, the doctors asked that they stay in Rishikesh until their follow-up re-check a week later. The family professed they would have to leave as they could not afford a stay in the city, one of the primary reasons that so many villagers go untreated for illnesses and conditions. Fortunately, the Ashram was able to offer the family accommodation and meals for the week, and all three beautiful spirits are healthy and resting comfortably!
In a beautiful example of the circle of life and the presence of God’s love and grace in each of our lives, Laxman’s grandfather helped to build large portions of the ashram’s expansion in the 1980s!
As the doctor’s and team-members packed-up their gear and prepared to return to their daily lives, we asked them for their impressions and thoughts about the four-day experience. Here’s what two of the doctors and one of our beautiful volunteers had to say:
“It has always been an enriching and soul stirring experience,” declared Dr. Mustafa Parekh, “to be of the seva at Swami Sukdevanad Hospital, supported by Health First Trust. I have been here at least twice a year for the past 18 yrs. I always look forward to coming to the banks of Ganga to be a part of this vision of healing the mind, body and soul.”
Dr. Pranay Kapadia, meanwhile, said that “The Eye Surgery and Check-up Camp is a perfect example of what dedicated and sincere citizens of India can do as a selfless service to the poor people in society. The location of the camp is in the divine Ashram of Parmarth Niketan with the blessings of God and Guruji. Expert Doctors from Mumbai, Pune and Dehradun worked selflessly to give sight to cataract patients. Surgeries were conducted with the most-modern technique of Phacoemulsification, and foldable lenses were implanted. Most patients did not need any injections or eye patch. Patients were followed up the next day and were all healed well with a very good recovery of vision.
Maurer, the optometrist from Pune said “I am very satisfied and happy to be able to be of service to mankind with my skills and knowledge. It was not just satisfying but fun to work with a group of extremely skilled people who were so engaged in making this world a better place by the gift of sight for the individuals who needed it. I had a lot to learn in the process too. Hope such endeavours keep happening often in the future.
The camp was assisted by expert staff, volunteers from the Ashram as well as volunteers from the town of Bareily. Free medicines and glasses were distributed too. India needs many more of these social services to give the gift of sight to the poor and needy patients in society.”
And Karuna (Claudine Franco), our long-time volunteer from Brazil, summed it all up by saying “It made me realize that nothing can give you more satisfaction than helping people who need it.”
To learn more about our medical programs and to contribute to this beautiful seva, visit us at: www.divineshaktifoundation.org
