Students collect funds for girl’s treatment
Mehak G.
In a noble gesture, students of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College collected Rs. 1.12 lakh to aid medical treatment of 11-year-old Mehak G. from Shivamogga who is suffering from blood cancer. Mehak, who belongs to an economically disadvantaged family, is receiving treatment at the Kasturba Hospital in Manipal.
The amount was handed over by the students to Mehak’s mother Shahina here on Thursday. The sole breadwinner for her family, Shahina used to sell eggs from a rented van in Shivamogga.
After her child was diagnosed with cancer, Shahina, a widow, moved with her family, including her elder daughter, Seher G. (15), and son Salman (9), to get Mehak treated here about nine months ago for the child’s treatment. Her elder daughter, Seher, who always got marks above 90 % till Class IX and son Salman had to discontinue their studies.
The students of the college kept a box to collect money for Mehak last month. “After we learnt about the plight of Mehak, we decided to help her as her mother was trying so much,” said Vignesh Bhat, college student.
“This is a kind gesture on part of our students. I hope they will carry on with the same spirit of helping society in their lives. I had made it clear to them that the collection of money should be strictly voluntary,” said Kusuma Kamath, college principal.
Shahina said that she had already spent about Rs. 6.5 lakh for Mehak’s treatment and was trying to raise another Rs. 3.5 lakh for the same purpose. “People cutting across religions and castes have helped me in Udupi and surrounding places, besides the kind students of this college,” she said.
She got Rs. 1.5 lakh from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund through Oscar Fernandes, MP. The authorities of Mother of Sorrows Church, Udupi, St. Lawrence Basilica, Attur, Stella Maris Church, Kalmady, too gave donation. She had also got financial help from mosques in Udupi and Malpe and the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, she said.
The Rainbow organisation, comprising auditing students, also handed over a cheque of Rs. 15,000 to Shahina on the occasion. Meanwhile, a group of students and some lecturers who have come together here under the banner of “Fragrance of Humanity” are collecting donation for the purpose.
No comments:
Post a Comment