25 December 2009

ROARR has contributed towards the refurbishment of three leprosy wards at Dattapur leprosy colony in India, inaugurated on 15 November 2009 for the benefit of Women in Need. The hospital wards were in poor condition and Women in Need has repaired and refurbished these three wards: two female and one male.

The majority of in-patients are elderly and infirm, and a significant number require specialised care, from incontinence to pressure ulcers. Basic facilities such as bedpans, commodes, walking frames, dressings and sterilisation equipment are lacking as are mattresses and bedding. With ROARR's funding new facilities have been provided along with the refurbishment of the wards.

Previous Projects

Roarr first rally, Jewel of India in 1999, raised funds that enabled a wing to be built at Phende Hospital at Hunsor near Mysore. It is called the Jewel of India Accident & Emergency ward.

The 2nd Jewel of India in 2001 raised funds for the Tibeten community in Dharamsala with two fitted out ambulances.

Since 2003 ROARR has contributed monthly to the charity START, which is the work of the young English woman, Leah Paterson, in Nagpur central India. This remarkable young woman, who has given up a life in England, has dedicated her work to the lepers in the slums.

The charity deals with cases which neither private nor government hospitals will cater for. This is due to the fact that many of their patients are alone; all hospitals in India will only admit patients if they are accompanied by their relatives, therefore the most vulnerable are completely excluded from hospitalisation when required. In addition to this the cases they help are quite often suffering from severe problems such as maggot infestation or severe forms of mental illness, or even the last stages of Aids. Such women have no where to go and often die alone and in extreme pain.

Not all cases will be terminal so therefore short term hospitalization will help them to recover. For those with terminal illnesses they will be provided with a clean, friendly environment where they can receive medical support enabling their last days, weeks or months to be as pain free and comfortable as possible. We feel strongly that as much as we can provide dignity in living, there should be dignity in dying.

To construct a single storey facility with an out patient department and ward facilities, will cost £52,000.

Our group surplus after the Great Arc was £10,000 and this will go towards the building of Leah’s hospital. Thanks you all very much.

I will just add that the world we live is a very disproportionate world I feel strongly that all of us on the classic rally circuits travelling around the world, for whatever reason, have so much, that this is a great opportunity to give back, and so readdress some balance in this world.