While doing vaccines, three members of our team were invited by Mr. S.K. Kaushik, the person responsible for polio in the area, to visit the home of the latest polio case in this area. Joanne & Jerry Larson and Shirley McCaughey were taken there.
At the home, they met 14 year old IGBAL BUSERI, son of Zahid Hussin and Hussan Buseri. Joanne says they must have known for years that this boys was stricken with this horrible disease. She gave him a tube (package) of crayons which he just rolled in his hands.
They asked if they could take the boy's picture and the Muslim parents said yes - removing the blanket from his legs to show the deformed and twisted legs of this poor child.
Quietly, one of the group said they need a wheelchair for this young boy. Immediately, the polio workers said he really needs a commode. Whenever he needs to use the bathroom, he has to be carried to the street. On the spot, our team members agreed to give him the commode.
In the villages, people use the washroom and the material is dumped into drains running along both sides of the street - just like they did in the old world. There are no sewage systems here.
As Connie Larson said when her mom told her the story, "This will give the boy his dignity back".
It was quite difficult for team members to tell if the boy has any learning difficulties because he has never experienced any stimulation.
Then someone said the other boy - the latest case - is a younger son of the same family. He is 2 years old - SAKIL KHAN. A man carried him into the house and he immediately started crying because of the strangers there. The parents showed the boy's leg - deformed by polio.
The family said the community really needs more medical visits. The doctor does not live in the village and has 15,000 patients to care for so he can only come once a week. The village needs great medical care - Rotary could help if they could change this.
The family wants an operation to help their young child - but they are very very poor and cannot afford treatment. Our team told the family that a doctor has to say that an operation is appropriate - if the doctor says "Yes" - Rotary will see that the surgery gets done.
Before leaving, team members promised to provide a commode and a wheelchair. The family said that would allow him to be wheeled out, see the village, see the shops, and see other people. All he does now is sit in his chair - all day.
Back on the bus, Shirley McCaughey tells the story to the others who were not there to see and people started giving her money. At last count, Shirley collected 9,000 rupee and Jerry has 12,000 rupee - that's about $900 dollars.
The group has already requested the Rotary Club of Delhi-West purchase the commode and wheelchair and if we can, it will be delivered before we leave India.
We are also asking for a medical assessment of the children to determine what should be done.
THIS TRULY IS ROTARY IN ACTION - as next year's theme says, Make Dreams Happen.
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3 comments:
Stories such as this make me proud to be a Rotarian. There is so much to be done, and it does start with one person at a time.
This is Mrs. Jacobson's US History Class at CMSW. We want to wish Cari and her family a great trip, we miss you Cari! It is below zero here! Can't wait to see pictures!
Hello this real polio story happen in America too i experience it my self , also i would tell you my story i just to suffer about Ed and i just Buy viagra and this solved all my problem.
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