The Ganga Trust Report 2013

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The Ganga Trust - Empowering Ability - an organisation that focuses on rehabilitation of physically challenged persons.

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aaghavendiyatha paaru
Aaghavendiyatha Paaru was the abiding philosophy in life for Ganga Singararaman after whom the organisation is named. Simply translated, this Tamil phrase means look ahead. The deeper meaning is, however, profound. It exhorts people to focus on doing what needs to be done than staying a hostage to the past.

When an idea germinates, it looks small and we appear bigger. As the idea takes root, and further develops branches, we would well be surprised by how much it can dwarf us.This may be the feeling of those of us associated with The Ganga Trust.

Cusp of growth

Celebrating 50 years of pioneering work

Our fund mobilisation stays need-focused.We are pleased to have organised complete funding for the vocational centre cum gettogether hall at the MaryVergheseTrust. Our donors and us prefer to wait and get clearance without paying a bribe, a CMC Vellore tradition since 1900.

Vaidy, a co-founder of The Ganga Trust was actively employed in commercial enterprise till 2012. He is now fully devoted to the cause.Vaidy spent 72 days in Vellore to share his experience with persons recuperating at the Mary Verghese Institute of Rehabilitation (a part of Christian Medical College).

Our idea to network to reach more programs and people was steadfastly continued. We work with 14 organisations now compared with eight at the end of 2012. The number of beneficiaries reached about 300 in 2013.

Towards this goal, several steps were taken in 2013.The work of rehabilitation towards nurturing livelihood was continued and enlarged to include sports.Anecdotes in this report are illustrative of work we champion. Our activity with the hearing challenged was expanded due to Ms. Vidya Bala’s developing role in the execution team.

In its third year of activity, the idea and the work of The Ganga Trust have spread farther. From an organisation that represented the power of one, it is now harnessing the strength of networking and partnerships. Deepening them will stay the key focus. We envision that The Ganga Trust will emerge as an Expert Social Network for Rehabilitation.

We continue to direct 100% of donor funds to our Partner Programs. Our expense ratio was 1.2% (inclusive of depreciation; financed fully by the founders) in 2013 compared with 2.0% in 2012; this low cost model is made possible by our volunteers, who we cannot thank enough. We wish you a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful 2014 and wish for ourselves an ever-increasing reach to spread the word and further the cause. Suresh Krishnamurthy Managing Trustee

2013 was the 50th year of the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Department of Christian Medical College (CMC),Vellore since its inauguration in January 1963 by Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, then President of India. In the inset image, he is with Dr Mary Verghese, the visionary wheelchair-bound doctor and CMC alumnus, who also founded India’s first Rehabilitation Centre for persons with spinal cord injury. Wheelchair artists and hearing challenged children from Ability Unlimited ensured a special celebration of PMR 50. We were deeply grateful and privileged to work with CMC Vellore and Ability Unlimited to mark this landmark event. Stage backdrop by Paul Athisayaraj Joshua

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Renewed life after 12 years
He was living for 12 years inside his home. Accessing the world outside was a challenge, as the home was way below road level in a congested part of Chennai. The other 13 who had undergone rehabilitation with him had committed suicide. An unscrupulous doctor in a stem-cell trial program exploited him without explaining the risks. His blessing was a caring younger brother despite stiff financial challenges.Thanks to the second Spinal Care India meet in Chennai in 2012 and networking by Suresh Krishna, an amazing friend for persons with spinal cord injury, Manoharan emerged with support to reach the venue and the outside world. The team of Social Workers of CMCVellore motivated him to join vocational training at Mary Verghese Trust. An eight-month stint was an eye-opener in independent living for Manoharan. Today he ekes out an income with tailoring using word of mouth to reach out to customers. We are pleased to have contributed our mite to his life after hibernation. We never expected to have a sports story to tell, especially in the early years of our work. Kumaresan, who lives in Ellapatti Erikodi near Natrampalli, Tamil Nadu, was a well-built person who went home in 2011 with tailoring skills. Living in a not-so accessible place, his options were limited. He had been trying to make a living by owning a petty shop in his home and also an occasional dabble at tailoring. A year later, he appeared to be losing strength. Lack of exercise equipment was a reason. When we supported him in this regard, it was to help him get and stay stronger. Ramesh Sridharan, a very self-driven physiotherapist in CMC, Vellore, spotted opportunity in sports for Kumaresan. After just a week of training in a few events, at the National Paralympic Games in Chennai in early 2013, Kumaresan became National Champion in shot put and earned a silver medal in discus. Paralympics 2016 in Brazil is a goal. He continues to get support to sharpen his skills.

Nathiya is a young girl from a small village, Pusimalai Kuppam near Arni, in Tamil Nadu. She completed plus two after a spinal cord injury and underwent basic training in computers at WORTHTrust, Katpadi, Even as she learnt, constant sitting without necessary precautions led to a major pressure sore that needed surgical intervention at CMC, Vellore. Following her recovery, Nathiya was offered a nine-month (November 2012 to July 2013) assignment to develop her skills. In the process, she also helped update a 21-year database of information about spinal cord injured persons. She has subsequently spent six months in her village, exploring online work opportunities and zeroed in on options to earn a decent income. She is getting the necessary infrastructure support to move ahead in life. Nathiya is a confident girl, a fast learner and a person who is also willing to give time for work that helps others. Update from 2012

Steered towards self-employment

Target Rio 2016

Edward Sigamani, a tertraplegic who can barely and partially use a few fingers, has been going great guns in his mobile recharge business. His volumes have risen to about ` 90,0000 a month, and his earnings, at about ` 4,600, keep growing to facilitate upkeep of his family. His wife, Parveen, is a source of enormous support, even as she helps persons at the Rehab centre during their training. Edward is fully abreast in all matters regarding the recharge business and is guiding three others in setting up / developing a recharge business.

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A peer counsellor at 9
Richard, aged 15, paid by a huge price for his dalliance with the thrills of riding a bike. An accident left him paralysed neck downward. He had to be stabilised with cage-like equipment for about three months. Gradually, there was a small degree of improvement, but not enough to help him use his hands for any activity. Coming from an economically challenged background, he was lucky in one respect: his food and medical needs were taken care by an organisation even before his injury. At Rehab, Bagayam, work by outstanding therapists helped get him to a wheelchair though he needed assistance in moving around. His cheery disposition helped. His confidence improved when he was able to operate, after much struggle, an iPad using a mouth stylus. If there is no further improvement, this is his way to further his education. Richard is just one example vindicating our endeavour to provide high-tech aids to bolster rehabilitation.

Moving ahead, by any means

We did not want to feature Manoj (sporting the yellowT Shirt) for the third year running, but his efforts in the past year ensured he picked himself. When in UKG, he suffered a high-level spinal cord injury. Following rehabilitation in CMC Vellore, he has been doing well in school. His dad drives an auto.The family lives in daunting circumstances. But nothing fazes Manoj. In 2013, Manoj visited the Mary Verghese Institute of Rehabilitation (Rehab, Bagayam) thrice to share his experience with five children and their parents. He has motivated them to get back to school and effortlessly handled questions. He has also gone to a small village to meet Jayakumar who has been severely impacted in a road accident, having lost his ability to use his hands and legs fully and freely. Whizzing on the wheelchair, Manoj provides confidence to not just children, but everybody who meets him. Just aged 9 now, he is already making a difference to several lives.

Spinal Care India aspires to be an organisation that helps improve the quality of life of persons with spinal cord injury.We continue to support its work extensively. There have been encouraging developments towards establishing a Pan-India organisation to further the cause. We hope to have more to report on this front in the year ahead. A report on Spinal Care India is available separately.

Toll Free 1800 425 1210
Dr Suranjan Bhattacharji retired after four decades of service at Christian Medical College, Vellore in the cause of the physically challenged. Starting as student, he masterminded the growth of PMR & Rehab, Bagayam and rose to become Director of CMC. Following his retirement in March 2013, he has moved to a remote part of Orissa to help build healthcare. We are privileged to be guided by his vision and thinking. Dr Suranjan Bhattacharji is the inspiration for, and the Head of the Advisory Board of The Ganga Trust. Update from 2012

Kishore, hailing from Irinjulkuda in Kerala, has had deformed feet since birth. A hair dresser, he pursued his interests in a variety of sports – running, karate, archery and kalari (a traditional Kerala sport that involves a variety of physical contact events). Interested in competing at the National and Asian level, Ramesh Sridharan, a physiotherapist at CMC, Vellore, drew attention to his need for archery equipment. Provided with a quality kit, he attained very good results with two silver medals at the National Games. His determination means greater heights beckon.

Braving feet deformity

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Feedback on Experience Sharing Program
At the farewell function on March 7, 2013 for Dr Suranjan Bhattacharji, former Director of Christian Medical College,Vellore, and Head of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PMR) Department, Sashank opened the evening by reading from his iPad the views expressed by Dr Suranjan on Dr Mary Verghese.

Assisting Sashank is Neeraj Gampawar, his first Physiotherapist. On the screen is an image of Dr Mary Verghese, CMC Alumnus & a paraplegic due to a road accident in 1954, caring for a child from her wheelchair. Sashank Vaiibhav Allu, an alumnus of IIT Madras, was all set to go for his Masters from a top notch U S University. A few weeks before departure, he fell off the balcony at home. This left him paralysed neck downward. I was tired and grumpy that Monday evening, sitting in a wheelchair and being pushed around the lush Rehab campus that was grey to my eyes as I was in no mood. Sitting often made me grumpy and tired those days.

She was a visionary, the pioneer of the first in-patient PMR in India, and the founder of Rehab in the Bagayam Campus of Christian Medical College,Vellore.

As his parents were doctors, they ensured he received quality basic care that prevented more damages that are usually common in the early weeks.

Thanks to invaluable guidance from a family friend, Sashank came to Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore early in December 2012. In a couple of weeks, he was at the Mary Verghese Institute for Rehabilitation (Rehab) in the Bagayam Campus of CMCVellore. Starting off completely dependent, in about four months, he attained levels of independence that is matched by only a few other persons with cervical level spinal cord injury in India.

In one of his posts titled The Four Minute Milers in July 2013, Sashank narrates his experience with Artist Suresh (known as Art Sir in Rehab, who has not let muscular dystrophy ay birth deter him one bit) and S Vaidyanathan, two regular volunteers at Rehab. This was the first time we were getting written feedback on the Experience Sharing Program of The Ganga Trust for which we commit sizeable resources every year.

While training there, he started writing a blog Quadriplegic Chronicles with the tagline How I Relearned Living. No spinal cord injured person in India has mustered the acceptance and courage to start writing about their life after a spinal cord injury so early.

His blog inspires, and the contents that already have immense potential to morph into a landmark book that will inspire many physically challenged persons not just in India.We present an edited version and urge you to read the full version at his blog http://quadriplegicchronicles.blogspot.in.

And he left.A lot of people told me many times before that I'd still be able to do everything. But whenVaidy spoke, it was different. His words held weight. I was actually willing to believe what he said. I somehow thought he had the right to say what he just said.

He smiled and continued "I'll come visit you some time; right now I need to go see if I have any cuts on my body.There has been a major accident on my way here that shattered the windshield and I've been sitting on shattered glass for the last half hour. See you later".

He listened to me while sipping on his juice box and when I was done he squeezed it, dropped it on the table and said, "You can still do everything you ever wanted to do.You just need to work for it".

He shook my hands again, this time, trying to judge the strength of my grip. He inquired about my injury and I told him the same story I told people a hundred times.

Dr.Tharion saw me and waved, asking me to come over. When I went to his table, Dr. Tharion said, "Hello Sashank. Meet Mr. Vaidyanathan". Mr.Vaidyanathan shook hands with me saying, "Call me Vaidy". And it took me a long time to stop calling him sir and start calling him Vaidy.

I asked my dad if we could go to the Rehab canteen. He agreed and we slowly made our way there. I saw my doctor, Dr. George Tharion, talking to a bright-eyed middle-aged man sitting at his table in a wheelchair.

Above all, I loved the way he treated a dangerous accident like a

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Feedback on Experience Sharing Program
fender bender hours after it happened to him. It's not like I haven't heard of Vaidy before I met him. He is pretty famous in Rehab. He suffered a spinal cord injury when he fell off his hostel balcony (which I had little trouble relating to). That rendered him a paraplegic. a king if you want to be treated as one. I don't know what really compels Vaidy to help. He goes way out of his way to be there for patients at Rehab who are total strangers to him. I don't know why he does it, but what he does helps. It helped me. I feel a life spent busy trying to live for oneself is worth nothing. By that rule, Vaidy's is definitely worth millions. I am determined to follow him. Give back.

He was immobilised for three months and did not undergo a surgery. He was at the CMC Rehab for a while before he went back to IIM Bangalore to finish his MBA. After working for about twenty years, he had to come back to CMC because he caughtTB. It was then that he thought he had to help make a difference. He started an organisation calledThe GangaTrust. He lives in Chennai now, but makes sure he's at Rehab at least two days a week. He goes around Rehab talking to patients and motivating them.

There's nothing fun he won't do. He goes to movies, malls, restaurants and even cricket matches but he doesn't swim and I do, courtesy of Charlie, a visiting Physiotherapist from U.K. I know that the introduction was a little vague and definitely misses a lot, but I am not out to write his biography. I want to talk about what he taught me. Vaidy sure lectures a lot but most of what I learnt from him was not through his lectures ( I am so sorry Vaidy. I don't mean in any way that your lectures are boring or redundant ).The time I spent with him teaches me lessons even now when I am hundreds of miles away from him.

Writing a post about Vaidy and Art Sir, my experiences and memories with them has been an experience in itself. When I started writing this post, my head was all over the place. At times I questioned myself if I truly believe what I am writing. I don't know if it was because of everything I had to recollect or things that happened around me.

But over the last few days, I've gained a new friend, a new faith and a new goal. Tomorrow, I know I am going to wake up for the apology I owe someone, the promise I made and the goal I need to fulfil. I end this post with a clear mind, way more peaceful than when I started writing it.

Whenever Vaidy spoke of his past, I never saw him show even a hint of sadness. If he is missing who he used to be before his accident, he never shows it.Yes that's how I want to be. I want to move on and be happy instead of being stuck. I know that that can't happen overnight. But I know it can happen.Vaidy is the proof. If you can do something yourself, be a man and do it yourself. Doesn't matter if it takes ten times the time it takes when you take help.You'll learn ways to cut the time short. It's easy to grow lazy and start treating people around you like your slaves while they continue helping you because they pity you. But that's not okay.

What has happened has happened. This is who you are now. So suck it up.

Don't weep because you aren't respected. Earn it and take it. I've seen a hall with fifty people grow silent once when Vaidy entered. He has so much presence. I don't know if you feel sorry when you see someone in a wheelchair, but pity is not the thing that comes to your mind when you look at Vaidy. He is independent.

He does everything a normal person does. Nobody treats him like a patient and more importantly, he doesn't treat himself like one. I figured that's the first step to earning respect. Carry yourself like

Artist Suresh shares his thoughts at the farewell function for Dr Suranjan Bhattacharji assisted by Sunil Raj, Physiotherapist, and Joseph, support staff. Sashank writes: ‘Art wasn't the only thing I learnt from him… There are absolutely no excuses. If you need help, be man enough to take it. As long as your brain is intact, you can do wonders just by blinking. Art Sir and Vaidy remain the beacons of hope for every patient at the CMC Rehab.They prove you don't need to be able to stand to stand tall.They are the ones who prove that you can break the barrier and finish your mile, doesn't matter what you have or don't. They made my mile, the dream mile’.

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Dr Mary Verghese Award 2012
Experience Sharing Program at the Mary Verghese Institute of Rehabilitation (Rehab) in the Bagayam campus in CMC Vellore Use of laptop, touch devices and hi-tech rehabilitation aids as part of the therapy process Enhanced Recreational & Computer Facility at Rehab Adoption of May 26, the birthday of Dr Mary Verghese, as Ability Day

Initiatives

K V Rabiya from Kerala received the Dr Mary Verghese Award 2012 from Dr George Tharion, Head of PMR Department, CMC, Vellore, for her outstanding service to the community, especially in spreading literacy, women empowerment as well as for helping the physically challenged. Polio at birth, cancer at age 32, tetraplegia (neck-level spinal cord injury) at 37 and diabetes – even one would have deterred almost any person – were just taken in their stride, as she focused on service.We are privileged to be associated with the Dr Mary Verghese Award Foundation.

Program to take care of medicines / surgical needs / accessories / mobility aids of economically challenged persons undergoing rehabilitation Vocational training at the Mary Verghese Trust Equipment to help vocational rehabilitation Service of a Social Worker focusing on tracking community level rehabilitation of persons with severe physical challenges

Support to The Hope House (www.thehopehouse.in), an organisation that provides wholesome care to children, abandoned / disadvantaged, and of parents affected by HIV Support for vocation training centre cum get-together hall at Mary Verghese Trust Enhanced networking with key persons / organisations involved in rehabilitation at the ground level Travel support for physically & economically challenged persons to access quality medical care Speech Trainers & high quality aids for hearing challenged children at WORTH Trust

Running For Ability

Running For Ability, an initiative for Spinal Care India, to showcase the definite possibility of a quality life if you get quality & timely rehabilitation after a spinal cord injury Eight spinal cord injured persons did 113 kilometres in The Wipro Chennai Marathon 2013 without assistance. We hope to have more in 2014. Doctors, physiotherapists and occupational therapists who do outstanding lives-changing work at CMC,Vellore, made for a robust support cast in a 63-member team. Madura Fashion sponsored this program with a classy custom T Shirt. Families of five spinal core injured persons took care of logistics. the ganga trust 203, 18th Street, Chowdhry Nagar, Valasaravakkam, Chennai 600087 India Email [email protected] Phone +91 97909 36844 Education Assistance Program on a referral basis, mainly in allied health services and villages Learning Points – providing access to computer & online facilities – in Thirupparaitturai, Ayyarmalai and Ambur are reaching several hundred children. Support for the CMC Marathon

The GangaTrust page is intended to motivate, inform and help physically challenged persons.

Christian Medical College Vellore Mary Verghese Institute of Rehabilitation Mary Verghese Trust Dr Mary Verghese Award Foundation Code 4 Cause Vruksham Foundation

We work with

WORTH Trust The Hope House Trinity Trust Spinal Care India Running For Ability The Ability People

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