Tarapur

For the last couple of days it has been a fascinating experience at the Cardiac Center and General Hospital. The center was having a mega surgical camp where as many as 150-200 surgeries were to take place. A team of 15 doctors and nurses came from US to perform the surgeries. Also met the partners and suporters Hasubhai, Hershaben and Kiranbhai of Hersha Hospitality Trsut for the world surgical foundation.

So many surgeries in 5 days.Full hysterectomies, gall bladder, cosmetic surgery, orthopedic surgeries, hernia and so many more. It’s wonderful to see that these outsiders come to give free services in our country and that to in health care and hospitals which is most expensive for a common man. Along with the team of doctors came Dom, Dr.Domingo Alvear’s son who was not a doctor but he was making a documentary on the surgical camp. Also, a dentist, Dr. Marty who joined me as well. Dom was able to capture the outdoors of the rural Gujarat. We were headed to the village of Tarapur which was about half hour away.

This was not the usual place like the PHC or The Dairy in the village but a foundation, called it TF center for short(Tribhuvandas Foundation)

I was to speak on breast cancer awareness but the center always has a topic of discussion and that day the topic was on “save the daughters” as most of us know that not only in India but so many other countries abort the babies if its a girl just because girls can’t hold the family name, can’t bring dowry and its considered a sin to have a daughter over a son! Today, so many Indian women have awaken and fought back by all the awareness given to them and have courage to keep their daughters alive!

We had as many as 75 women attend that day. Most of them were Asha workers which I had never met so this was a whole new area for the awareness. Before I came to I had the chance to meet Ms. Phyllis at Karmanos cancer hospital who gave me training in how to feel a lump on a dummy breast and so today I was able to share it with some of them. I describe my lumps as a seed of a lemon which doesn’t move and when they felt it was like a seed, they were just amazed!

Today was little different as I never have men attending any of my breast cancer awareness presentations especially not in the village as the women are quite shy and won’t say anything if men are present. It was pretty ok actually towards the end Dr. Marty wanted to say something ago I kind of became their translator usually it’s the other way around as sometimes I would get stuck and a Gujarati word doesn’t come to me and Chandrikaben helps me out! It’s all in the days work but its worth every minute of it.