A heart that is not broken, but broken-open, can make all the difference in our lives.
Dear friends. With your generous support I was able to make the trip to volunteer at Ganga Prem Hospice (GPH) and engage in providing the services they needed. I was impressed with the organizational use of volunteers and the warmth and sense of comraderie among international and local volunteers.Here is a short description of some of the work I was able to do and photos of the GPH team, support crew, volunteers and events!
1. Attended the November Ganga Prem Cancer Camp where I connected with one of the patients who was soon admitted to in-patient hospice. He was just 17 and the when I met him he was tired and drooping- with an infection in his lungs and at the site of a recent surgery. After two days as an in-patient he was had improved both physically and emotionally and possessed such radiance. What a courageous, intelligent and delightful young man he is. He has returned home and may be one of those folks who "graduate" hospice and return to health.
2. I joined a team presenting to the Rotary Club in Rishikesh. We were two Palliative Care Specialists from the UK, a Volunteer Coordinator from Kerala, a Social Work student from Germany, myself and a local male volunteer. A lively discussion ensued about end of life care in India, a new volunteer stepped forward and I got to laugh and enjoy a wonderful hug from one of the Rotary Club wives. What a treat to engage in honest, open conversation.
3. Collaborated with Jyothi Jayan Warriet, from Kerala, in presenting a session on the role of Volunteers in Palliative Care and Hospice at a three day Palliative Care training held at a local college.
4. Worked with Jyothi Warrier and Dr. Laurie Anderson of the U.K. in a day long training for six new local male volunteers. The training was held at the GPH hospice that is located in a rural area near the Ganges, outside Rishikesh.
5 Participated in three Bereavement sessions, two for hospice staff, one for adults and one for children of previous GPH patients. Two were held at the GPH inpatient location, one in Rishikesh Market area.. Photos of those are attached too!
6. Presented a two hour session with Dr. Laurie and Bavhvani Farmer (U.S. SW) to 60 third year nursing students at AIMS Medical in Rishikesh. The session focused on "sensitizing" these medically skilled and educated nurses regarding the psycho-social issues and emotions that arise in patients, increase their pain and create anxiety. We focused on an exercise I use with hospice volunteers at Mt. Home Health in Taos, but adapted to specifically to suit the nurses. I loved the creative challenge of that. These students were just wonderful! They were alert and engaged, the cream of the crop I understand. Their bright faces and participation gives me faith that Palliative Care and Hospice in India will continue to grow and thrive.
7. Made home visits to patients in Deradhun with a wonderful Hospice Nurse and connected with the families there. In India, as in New Mexico, there are a variety of situations. Some patients were economically stable, others were not. Some were young, others elderly. Some had family to look after them, others were struggling to provide a future for the young children they were about to "leave behind". I was touched and honored by their hospitality, honesty, laughter, tears and above all, their courage. Those financially in need received all their hospice related medication, visits and supplies for free and efforts are being made in various ways to support other, related needs they have.
I felt so very "well used". Thich Nhat Hahn once said, "Be food"... related to offering ourselves as nourishment to the world, the way the life offers nourishment to us, always, in ways visible and subtle. I am grateful for the years practicing Zen and learning from so many wise teachers, for the indigenous people who nourished me, again and again, for the circle of dreamers (you know who you are) who I have learned and grown with for almost 30 yrs! and for so many friends and colleagues...You each touched me in ways that allowed me to offer myself fully to India. I encountered so much kindness there, and learned so much - from patients, GPH staff and other volunteers - from shop keepers who spoke to me about how "we have this life, we must use it to do good" and from the landscape, that abounds in prayer, beauty, cows, monkeys, trash and flower offerings.
Speaking of offerings, see photos below for the traditional offerings of blessing and well wishes that I sent down the Ganges, naming each of you. THANK YOU!! Check out my FB page!! And if the spirit moves you, check out the Ganga Prem website to see how you can be involved.
Dear friends. With your generous support I was able to make the trip to volunteer at Ganga Prem Hospice (GPH) and engage in providing the services they needed. I was impressed with the organizational use of volunteers and the warmth and sense of comraderie among international and local volunteers.Here is a short description of some of the work I was able to do and photos of the GPH team, support crew, volunteers and events!
1. Attended the November Ganga Prem Cancer Camp where I connected with one of the patients who was soon admitted to in-patient hospice. He was just 17 and the when I met him he was tired and drooping- with an infection in his lungs and at the site of a recent surgery. After two days as an in-patient he was had improved both physically and emotionally and possessed such radiance. What a courageous, intelligent and delightful young man he is. He has returned home and may be one of those folks who "graduate" hospice and return to health.
2. I joined a team presenting to the Rotary Club in Rishikesh. We were two Palliative Care Specialists from the UK, a Volunteer Coordinator from Kerala, a Social Work student from Germany, myself and a local male volunteer. A lively discussion ensued about end of life care in India, a new volunteer stepped forward and I got to laugh and enjoy a wonderful hug from one of the Rotary Club wives. What a treat to engage in honest, open conversation.
3. Collaborated with Jyothi Jayan Warriet, from Kerala, in presenting a session on the role of Volunteers in Palliative Care and Hospice at a three day Palliative Care training held at a local college.
4. Worked with Jyothi Warrier and Dr. Laurie Anderson of the U.K. in a day long training for six new local male volunteers. The training was held at the GPH hospice that is located in a rural area near the Ganges, outside Rishikesh. 
6. Presented a two hour session with Dr. Laurie and Bavhvani Farmer (U.S. SW) to 60 third year nursing students at AIMS Medical in Rishikesh. The session focused on "sensitizing" these medically skilled and educated nurses regarding the psycho-social issues and emotions that arise in patients, increase their pain and create anxiety. We focused on an exercise I use with hospice volunteers at Mt. Home Health in Taos, but adapted to specifically to suit the nurses. I loved the creative challenge of that. These students were just wonderful! They were alert and engaged, the cream of the crop I understand. Their bright faces and participation gives me faith that Palliative Care and Hospice in India will continue to grow and thrive.
7. Made home visits to patients in Deradhun with a wonderful Hospice Nurse and connected with the families there. In India, as in New Mexico, there are a variety of situations. Some patients were economically stable, others were not. Some were young, others elderly. Some had family to look after them, others were struggling to provide a future for the young children they were about to "leave behind". I was touched and honored by their hospitality, honesty, laughter, tears and above all, their courage. Those financially in need received all their hospice related medication, visits and supplies for free and efforts are being made in various ways to support other, related needs they have.
I felt so very "well used". Thich Nhat Hahn once said, "Be food"... related to offering ourselves as nourishment to the world, the way the life offers nourishment to us, always, in ways visible and subtle. I am grateful for the years practicing Zen and learning from so many wise teachers, for the indigenous people who nourished me, again and again, for the circle of dreamers (you know who you are) who I have learned and grown with for almost 30 yrs! and for so many friends and colleagues...You each touched me in ways that allowed me to offer myself fully to India. I encountered so much kindness there, and learned so much - from patients, GPH staff and other volunteers - from shop keepers who spoke to me about how "we have this life, we must use it to do good" and from the landscape, that abounds in prayer, beauty, cows, monkeys, trash and flower offerings.
Speaking of offerings, see photos below for the traditional offerings of blessing and well wishes that I sent down the Ganges, naming each of you. THANK YOU!! Check out my FB page!! And if the spirit moves you, check out the Ganga Prem website to see how you can be involved.
