By Lisa A. Thiel ERYT500

The entire country of India has only 9 hospices to serve its 1.25 billion people. One of these nine, the only one in the entire state of Madhya Pradesh is the totally free Virat Hospice. It began in 2013 with only 8 beds and quickly filled, serving 100 patients in its first year. With increasing demand, the hospice grew to 15 beds, yet further expansion was limited by the crowded city location. During my visit in 2015, I traveled with Gyaneshwari Didi to the land she was hoping to purchase for the new permanent facility. It seemed like a dream – far away from the continuous honking of traffic, the cleaner, purer country air removed from the heavy pollution of the city. Dream became a reality.

I just returned from my 2017 visit and the new hospice is partially constructed and filled with 24 patients. To date, Virat Hospice has lovingly served 640. Medical director and orthopedic surgen, Dr. Akhilesh Gumashta, helped set up the hospice and continues to play a vital role, volunteering several days per week when not at his private practice.

What Makes this Hospice Unique? 

Morphine-free. Guided by Dr. Gumashta’s expertise, Virat Hospice is the only hospice in the world that is morphine-free. Didi is committed to ensuring that patients stay conscious, active, present, and participatory in life, and this conscious tone is quite palpable to visitors. 

Family involvement. Each patient can have one family member stay with them at hospice so patients do not feel cast out of their homes. Families are an integral part of their quality of life.

Fully engaged.  Patients are encouraged to participate in any way that calls them. For example, if a patient expresses an interest in cooking, he or she is invited to assist with chopping vegetables for their dinner.  

Festivals and Prayers. All festivals are celebrated with patients and their families on hospice grounds, and nightly prayers and chants are shared among patients, families and staff. 

Improved quality of life and extended life span. Many of these patients end up living much longer than their prognosis, often because they no longer feel they are a burden on their families at home. They are more free to ask for assistance when needed. The staff lovingly serves the patients.

Full circle. One student at the free school, a senior named Richa who has the highest marks in her class, is studying in the math and science program with an emphasis in biology. Her goal is to go to college to study nursing and eventually work at Virat Hospice. However, her family does not have the money necessary and so a special college fund is being collected to assist Richa in realizing her dream.

One survivor to date. One patient, with a terminal cancer diagnosis, was identified by Dr. Gumashta as a likely candidate for surgery. After a partial amputation, the patient is now cancer-free and awaiting a prosthesis.  

What’s Next? 

Out-patient Free Clinic. The region surrounding the hospice is quite poor. Currently, Virat Hospice sees any of the local villagers for their much-needed medical attention, yet there is no dedicated facility for this. Plans are underway and donations being sought to build a dedicated clinic building to care for any medical needs.

Helpless Women’s Shelter & Entrepreneurship Factory. Many women are abused and/or abandoned by their husbands and left to fend for themselves without the means to do so. Didi has plans to build a Women’s Shelter to achieve multiple goals, including providing safe shelter for the women and their children, as well as teaching them to create a business to sustain their futures. Here they will learn how to make various products (incense sticks, floor cleaners, medicines, etc.) and develop business plans.

Expanded Hospice. Due to high demand and the uniqueness of services, hospice continues to fill to capacity. Plans are underway to expand with two more blocks to allow for more patient beds, and a second floor to allow for the addition of a physical therapy room for post-surgery exercise, X-ray room, dental unit for oral cancer patients, and staff quarters for nurses traveling from further away. Plans are also being considered to provide solar power to reduce power consumption expenses and to provide a consistent supply of warm water for patients via solar water heaters. Additionally, a small mortuary is desperately needed because patients come from all over and currently there is no place to temporarily store deceased patients awaiting their families. 
 
What Can You Do?

Please consider a tax-deductible donation. See Donate page. All service are 100% free to those in need, but require significant funds to continue the building and sustain the services. For more information, please contact me (yogalisathiel@yahoo.com) or Bill Milcetich (wmilcetich@gmail.com).