If you are unable to view this mail please click here.
| |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
THE TEAM: |
Dr. Tarana Khubchandani, Kaya Shewakramani, Valerie Singhvi |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Editorial |
| |
|
|
“I take pleasure in my transformation;
I look quiet and consistent,
but a fewknow how many women there are in me.” |
|
|
- Anais Nin - |
|
|
|
Transformation is a result of experiences that you have imbibed through life’s lessons!
Our world and within ourselves, we are continually changing!
We call it maturing, evolving or simply growing up!
As we go through life, we recognize the many selves within us and in others. The ego based self has each of us wear unconscious masks (roles we play) with which we identify so closely that we believe it to be who we are.
We feel we are happiest when this mask is skillfully manifested for our friends, family and society.
The world’s wisdom traditions show us many paths to help us overcome our ego based needs---- one such path being that of selfless activity.
Through PASSAGES’ activities, volunteering and being engaged in a cause other than the ME, one experiences increased self-awareness and personal growth.
We become aware of how thoughts, feelings,emotions and actions affect our life choices, including our relationships, and how we handle the ups and downs.
As we perform selfless actions, we gradually learn to achieve inner peace and fulfillment in our daily activities.
Throughout the last few months, the Passages’ team focus has been on creating opportunities for friends and family to participate in actions for personal growth and inner transformation.
We are grateful for the participation of so many members and friends in partaking in the joy of caring and sharing!
Kaya Shewakramani |
|
 |
|
MEDICINE BANK ACTIVITIES |
• |
Distribution of Chemotherapy tablets- Between the months of January–May 2017, our volunteers, Snehal and Rehana, have distributed Tamoxifen and Letroze tablets to 506 patients at the Cama&Albless Hospital, Fort; the amounts disbursed are as per their medical prescriptions. This is an on-going project and patients are benefitting with this regular distribution. Their detailed progress is recorded in our Register.
We also express our sincere thanks to individual donors and other trusts who have supported us in this project. |
| • |
Patient Assistance- From February–May 2017, we have financially assisted individual needy patients with an amount of Rs. 1,82,800/-. Some are a one-time assistance only while others are ongoing, subject to scrutiny of their original bills. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| ‘GIFT YOUR TIME’ |
• |
24th Nov 2016
Storytelling and Art Workshop
We organized this workshop for the girls residing at the D.M. Jariwala Girls’ Orphanage, Mahim. Our
Facilitator – Indira Mukopadhyaya, with her vivid story telling, coaxed the girls to ‘draw’ out the
stories and helped them explore their thoughts and emotions in a simple way, using art as a
primary medium of communication, something that is useful to those who cannot verbalise
their thoughts. |
|
|
|
| • |
25 November 2016
C‐kids Art Workshop and Party
Hosted by PASSAGES at the Madhuli Hall, Worli, this Art Therapy Workshop conducted by Indira Mukopadhyaya helped the children benefit by this unique and creative form of pictorial expression, especially when used as a therapeutic technique for children undergoing various stages of cancer treatment. This was followed by lunch for all. We thank the Asian Cancer Foundation for bringing these children.
Our grateful thanks to Anand, Nidhi and Aditya |
 |
| |
Periwal of ‘Wanna Party’ for supplying all the art material and attractive gifts for both the above events. |
| |
| • |
10 December 2016
Christmas Party at St. Jude’s India Child Care Centre
Anna Rath, our PASSAGES’ CAS Student Volunteer from the Cathedral&John Connon School, planned and executed this party for the cancer‐afflicted children residing at the St. Jude’s Centre at Bhoiwada. The children thoroughly enjoyed the very therapeutic music session with Anna on the keyboard and her colleague
Varun Kapadia playing the guitar. The party then went onto other interactive games being played; |
 |
| |
Christmas carols being sung and dancing together. They were all delighted with the snacks served and the entire fun‐filled event. Anna even connected on a personal note with a 14 ‐ year ‐ old patient, Jaya, who had just had her chemotherapy cycle and promised the child that she would be back to interact with her again. We thank Anna Rath for the enthusiasm with which she organised and executed the party and her sensitivity extended to the children. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| • |
17 March 2017
‘Holi’ Party for the C‐kids
A party was held by PASSAGES for the cancer afflicted children C‐kids) brought in from various Municipal Hospitals by the Asian Cancer Foundation, at the Madhuli
Hall, Worli. Our volunteers for the day, helped children paint and embellish white T‐shirts and jute bags, which were gifted to them. It was a very enjoyable event with lots of hidden artistic talent, in a riot of colours, being showcased.
A standee of the hugely popular film actor, Hrithik Roshan, was placed and a photographer was organised to take photos of the kids with it! They posed with delight! This was followed by lunch for the children and their accompanying caregivers.
|
 |
| |
 |
 |
| |
This event was a huge success and our sincere thanks to ‐
Tarana Khubchandani for the Hall; Karuna Khemlani for sponsoring the lunch; Latika Sheth; Parul Mehta; Shilpa Saraf; Manisha Pamnani for the film actor standee; Divya Pamnani; Alka Sadarangani; Sapna Agarwal; Sangita Ved for her lively music; Aneeta Malhotra; Priti Lalwani; Sunita Mahajan; Kanchan Parikh; Rachna Sethi for the T‐shirts; Bimla Makhija for the art supplies; Rashna Doongaji for the refreshments.
|
| |
•
|
17 April 2017
Donation of Food Items, etc.
As per a request that we had received from the Shanti Avedna Sadan, we, at PASSAGES, donated food items as well as wound dressing material to the residents of this Cancer Hospice in Bandra.
Our grateful thanks to our members and well‐wishers, who volunteered so willingly to donate all the requested items and more.
|
| |
|
|
•
|
10 May 2017
Donation of Adult Diapers
PASSAGES donated 300 adult diapers to the aged residents of Asha Sadan, as they had requested for the same. These diapers were procured at discounted rates, in keeping with the cause.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
We receive repeated monthly requests for donating medicines, rice, grain, biscuits, milk, bed linen, adult diapers, etc. for cancer patients undergoing palliative treatment at the Shanti Avedna Sadan; Asha Sadan (Home for the Aged), St. Jude’s India Child Care Centres and other such Institutes / Hospices. If you (and/or your friends) would like to volunteer by helping with the funding for the same, please get in touch with us at our office. We welcome your generosity! |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
CANCER AWARENESS DRIVE |
| • |
16 December 2016
Bombay Gym X’mas Carnival |
| |
Our PASSAGES’ Stall distributed our cancer awareness literature and spread the message of early detection.
|
| |
| • |
7 January 2017
RCBN ‐ Artworks on Display for PASSAGES’ Fundraiser
The New Year 2017 began with our PASSAGES’ awareness message reaching out to 200 Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Bombay North (RCBN). We are grateful for the efforts of the RCBN President, Mr.Suhit Jhaveri and Past President, Dr. Queresh Maskati, for the collaborative effort with the Art & Soul Cancer Foundation for the display of art works |
 |
| |
for the purpose of fundraising for PASSAGES. This meeting was held at the Madhuli Hall and several members took the Early Detection of Cancer message home.
|
| |
|
|
| • |
13 January 2017
RCBN ‐ Artworks on Display for PASSAGES’ Fundraiser
'Artworks for Charity’ was extended to a gala evening; this gave PASSAGES yet another opportunity to spread the message of Early Detection of Breast Cancer for those who missed the 7th Jan., meeting. We appreciate and are thankful to Rotarian Mrs. Deenaz Delvadavala for hosting the evening at Gallops, RWITC.
We extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to Gaurav and his team from the Art & Soul Cancer Foundation for their involvement and contribution to PASSAGES for both these events.
|
| |
|
|
| • |
17 April 2017
Cancer Awareness Camp
On Buddha Jayanti this year, we adopted the area of Siddharth Nagar for the purpose of Cancer Awareness. Located at central Worli, these large slum dwellings provided PASSAGES and KASTURI FOUNDATION, an excellent opportunity to spread the message of early detection of various kinds of cancers ‐ oral, breast, ovarian, cervical and lung.
Almost 100 people attended the hour‐long slide show and Awareness talk by Mr. Hitesh Savani from the Kasturi Foundation.
We aim to follow up with a detection camp in October to mark Breast Cancer Awareness month. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| PASSAGES VOLUNTEER SPEAKS |
|
MALIHA came into my life on the 17th of March 2017, at an event organised by
PASSAGES.
As I held her hand and helped her with her painting, she found her way to my heart with her wide, innocent eyes.
There was an irrefutable connect which I tried really hard to ignore, because I thought I was not emotionally equipped to deal with the enormity of her situation.
(Maliha is suffering from T‐cell Lymphoma as well as a blood clot in her brain and is currently undergoing chemotherapy at BaiJerbai Wadia Hospital for Children.)
I put the above statement in brackets because as I got to know this little girl better, I realised that there is a lot more to Maliha than a health issue. Her body is weak but her spirit is undefeated and her mind is brilliant.
Maliha is a bright light that pervades your very being with energy. I cannot begin to fathom how she does that, considering that she herself is very frail. |
She may not be physically strong but this little chatterbox can have you rolling with
laughter at her wisecracks, beat you hollow at chess and paint like Picasso.
I have been extremely fortunate to have spent some memorable times with her and would like to share one with you.
I had gone to visit Maliha in Wadia Hospital while she was undergoing her Admit Chemo.
She was sitting up in a chair, telling me about her village. I tucked a pillow behind her back to make her comfortable and she accepted it gratefully with a look of surprise on her face. It took me a moment to comprehend where the look stemmed from. Here was a child who had been dealt such a tremendous blow at such a young age and she had courageously accepted it without expecting any concessions. A little thing like a pillow being placed behind her to cushion her back was something that hadn't occurred to her because she just took things as they came, knowing that there's no escaping the pain.
Childhood is supposed to be the happiest time of one's life and it hurts
me that she has resigned herself to being in discomfort and that excruciating pain has become a part of her childhood.
My eyes welled up and I turned away quickly... I was pretty adept at doing this by now. She's incredibly perceptive and would've picked up on my distress in a heartbeat, even if I held back my tears. It was late at night so I told her that I was sleepy and lay my head lightly on her knee so that she couldn't see my face. She
had her chemotherapy drip in one hand and with the other, she started patting my head. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Then softly she asked me in Hindi," Should I sing you a Lori? It will help you sleep."
This took me completely by surprise and in a choked voice I managed to say,“Yes please, I'd love that."
And then the Angel sang to me. Her voice was sweet and unfaltering. She sang in her mother tongue (Bengali). She was now gently stroking my hair as I rested my head on her knee. The effort of the patting must have tired her out but I guess she wanted to reassure me that she was still there...
What happened next is something I will remember for as long as I live... She said, “Oh, ye gaana Bangla mein tha. Aapne toh kuch nahin samjha hoga. Main aapke liye yeh gaana Hindi mein gaoon?"
And before I could nod my consent, this genius child of mine broke into song again, the same Bangla song, this time in Hindi,TRANSLATING AS SHE WENT ALONG!!
I learnt a valuable lesson that evening. I learnt that no matter what our status and situation, each of us has some thing to give. That evening, I received a gift from an ailing child who was from an extremely underprivileged background ‐ the gift of a memory, which I hold close to my heart. A memory that makes me smile, every time I revisit it.
And for the millionth time since I met her, I sent up a prayer of thanks to the Powers That Be, for blessing me with my own little Drop of Sunshine, Maliha. God bless her!
PRITI LALWANI |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
