CHARITY -- a perspective, a reality check
This is an odd lifetime study. A study to realise the reality. Most of the people love to be charitable, but few contribute. Read about GORU.
An anecdote about “GORU”
During my childhood, one of my schoolmates had huge nails. Her name was Gowri. We nicknamed her as ‘Goru’ (‘goru’ in Telugu means nail of a finger or toe ). They used to say that her huge nails caused a problem in her heart. It might be a case of ‘Digital Clubbing’ (abnormal nails present in some ‘Congenital Heart Diseases’). After one summer vacation, ‘Goru’ didn’t come back to the school. It was learnt that she died due to the nail / heart problem, and that treatment could not be availed as they didn’t have money to pay for it.
Perhaps, this incident prompted me to look at everyone’s nails from that time which might have led me to report the first case from India of ‘Yellow Nail Syndrome (YNS)’ in 1980 (published in an American journal, CHEST) and the first case in the worldof ‘Yellow nails & Covid’ in 2023, published in an Indian journal, THE ANTISEPTIC - https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/yellow-nail syndrome_28.html
And perhaps, the preventable death of ‘Goru’ due to the inability to pay for the treatment motivated me to start my ‘PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ Clinic (PWYCC) half-a-century ago where patients may pay whatever they can. No fixed fee ( http://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/06/pay-what-you-can-clinic.html ). The credit for these case reports on YNS and the starting of my PWYCC should go to ‘Goru’. Thanks to “Goru”.
-- T. Rama Prasad
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There is immense scope to render noble service to humanity in the 'MEDICAL PROFESSION'. That's why the medical profession is called the 'NOBLE PROFESSION'.
Here is a brief introduction to the author:
About the author :
Dr. T. Rama Prasad is the WORLD RECORD holder of authoring 28 articles related to COVID-19 in 30 months, published in a medical journal (The Antiseptic – www.theantiseptic.in -- Indexed in IndMED), and reporting in the same journal the WORLD’s FIRST CASE of ‘Yellow Nail Syndrome’ associated with COVID-19, PT & DM (https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/yellow-nail syndrome_28.html ). He wrote his first article in the premier journal, The Antiseptic, four decades ago. Many of his articles written over half-a-century may be accessed at https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/dr-t-rama-prasad.html & https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/my-in-newspapers_28.html & https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com .
He is the former MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT (Special) of R.T. Sanatorium & Perundurai Medical College and Research Centre. Presently, he is the Senior Consultant in TB & Lung Diseases, and the Director at ‘PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ Clinic, Perundurai, He is the recipient of the “Lifetime Achievement Award” of the ‘Coimbatore Respiratory Society’, and the honorific title “Perundurai Rathinam” from the body of ‘Perundurai Public’.
More at : https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/dr-t-rama-prasad.html
Hippocrates said : "Don't make money in the sick room." But in recent times, money has been playing a dominant role in the 'noble profession'. Thus, the foundation (service to humanity) of the MEDICAL PROFESSION is thoroughly shaken by MONEY matters. GORU's life couldn't be saved due to lack of money. Read more about MEDICINE & MONEY at :
Dr. T. Rama Prasad’s ‘PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ Clinic
“Thena thyakthena bhoojithaha”– Ishopanishad
( Translated by Prof. B.M. Hegde as: “Rejoice in giving.”)
True to this quote, I have been rejoicing at what little I could give. Defying stereotypes, this clinic has been in existence for a very long time, sans glitz, blitz, ads, microphones, speeches and noise. As a matter of my policy, publicity is shunned. The reason is simple. Good work needs no noise and nonsense. My ‘SCRIBBLINGS’ on related topics may be accessed at: http://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com
Yes, ‘PAY WHAT YOU CAN & WISH’, as consultation fee. It is the patient’s choice. It may even be zero. The patient may pay (donate) any amount. The money may just be put into the ‘hundi’ box, or remitted through the ‘Google Pay/UPI’ QR code / UPI number 9842720393 / UPI ID : drtramaprasad@okhdfcbank.
And the money thus received is used for charity to help the needy, the poor and the less fortunate.
If interested to know more about this facility, go to: http://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/06/pay-what-you-can-clinic.html .
And, even if you are not a patient, and if you wish, you may also 'contribute whatever you can' in the same way.
"We need not run after money. If we are meritorious and compassionate, money would run after us, and it eludes us if we run after it.” -- T. Rama Prasad
“Richness is not having lots of money. It is the feeling that one has enough of it. Contentment sans comparison is what makes one really rich.”
-- T. Rama Prasad.
Facebook: T Rama Prasad Twitter: @DrRamaprasadt Telegram : Dr T Rama Prasad
Consult your local doctor before rushing to me.
Most ailments can be cured at local level.
For APPOINTMENT with Dr. T. Rama Prasad, contact : 98427 20393
More at : https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/dr-t-rama-prasad.html
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The following is a list of some of my 'scribblings', including a few from the 28 articles on COVID published in a monthly medical journal in 30 months (a world record). To open them, click on any of the titles. -- T. Rama Prasad
Blog Archive
- ▼ 2024 (2)
- ▼ May (2)
- CHARITY -- a perspective, a reality check
- THE NOBLE PROFESSION
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- LOVABLE RURAL FOLKDr. T. Rama PrasadYes, Rural are the real. Really lovable folk. Candid . No pretensions. Childlike innocence with no great expectations. Trusting and trustworthy as well. No hypocrisy and non-suspecting . Vulnerable for exploitation. Gullible and plain. Simple. Simple attire, almost half naked, even some women ('topless'). A few of them are still there, of the older generation.Being in a rural area for half-a-century, I have been a witness to the changing scenario. Of course, it is not the same as it was 50 years ago. Evolution. Socio-cultral evolution. Many have migrated to towns and cities, leaving the healthy agricultural work in sunlight and the healthy natural food from their own farms. Urban pollution coupled with bad lifestyle is driving them to hospitals which are aplenty in towns. Though 80 per cent of India's population lives in rural areas, 80 per cent of the doctors prefer to be in towns and cities. Read about them in my 'Scribbling' titled 'Medicine in Rural India' on this blog.Some of the rural patients pray for me; some pray to me; some attempt to touch my feet in reverence. Madness or respect ? They have blind faith in gods and doctors as well.
Gowandayammal and meYes, rural are really lovable folk. Most of them have a refreshingly rural and humble background. They have blind faith in gods, and doctors as well.
After a few decades, we may see no more of such good plain-hearted rural folk. And, even now, we rarely see the good old grand grandmothers of ‘topless’ (‘blouseless’) era ! The women of that generation cover their upper bodies with a piece of a cloth only (end piece of sari) wrapped around without any underclothing like bra or blouse.
Today (February 10, 2018), one frail-looking grandmother in that 'topless' attire (see the attached photo) walked into my consultation chamber, accompanied by her grandson, but not needed to be assisted by him to walk in. She (Gowandayammal) fluently talked in the grand old style ... said she got the appointment with great difficulty (limited consultations today, as I had to spare some time to attend my granddaughter's 'food court bonanza' at her school). At the end of the consultation, she wanted a 'cough syrup' (most of the 'cough syrups' are used unnecessarily and for psychological satisfaction, and to the great delightfulness of drug industry !). I gave her a sample bottle of a cough syrup, free of cost, of course ... and lo and behold, her face was lit up with happiness. Little pleasures ... little things matter in life ... read the 'Scribbling' titled 'Richness & Happiness' on my blog. She narrated at length of her previous visits over decades and profusely thanked me for keeping her fit (in fact, it is her good old lifestyle and her constitution that kept her fit, not me !). I asked her whether I may have a photo with her. She was amused and laughed. I called the receptionist to take a photo. The lady of the old school put up a serious pose for the photo. Receptionist, Nandhini, asked her to smile ... in vain ... perhaps, the grandma thought that one should not move or smile when the camera clicks (In our school days, photographers used to instruct us not to move or smile when they take group photos in the school, with those bulky 'plate' cameras with a long exposure time !). I shall give her a print of the photo when she visits me again ... curiously, we both are of the same age group by the calendar, though seem not to be by the images ! Finally, the plain, simple, candid and 'topless' granny left my chamber. After a while, she came back with money (hundred rupees notes) in her hand to put into my tiny 'Pay what you can' hundi, as consultation fee. I had to persuade her a lot not to give any consultation fee, saying that it's a great pleasure for me to treat her free of cost ... again there was a flash of a cheerful smile across her face. This is the most pleasant reward we get in medical practice -- the cheerful smile of satisfaction.
If you wish to read more about the good rural folk, click on http://drtramaprasad.blogspot.in/2017/08/rural-are-real.html
Reprinted from FACEBOOK … go to Facebook to read comments on this.
Dr. T. Rama Prasad, http://drtramaprasad.blogspot.in
'PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ Clinic, Perundurai, Erode Dt., TN, India., Former Medical Superintendent (Special), RTS & IRT Perundurai Medical College and Research Centre, Perundurai.
- ▼ May (2)
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