By Dr Stephen Connor | Executive Director
Thanks to you we have been able to continue to support the palliative care assistants that deliver care and essential supplies to our patients in Narayanganj Bangladesh. Here is a brief story about two of those we are serving.
Imagine two brothers living with high levels of pain and psychological distress in a community where there is little access to essential health services. Then imagine your relief as a mother when you are told there is help at hand. That help is
Compassionate Narayanganj, a unique community-based partnership palliative care service in Bangladesh. The brothers, Rajon and Shahjahan (age 25 and 30), living with muscular dystrophy suffered from multiple symptoms including anorexia, extreme weakness, and depression from social isolation. Their mother, who worked as a cleaner and maid, did not make enough money to paythe rent let alone essential medication for the two young men. Community members, trained by the project, recognised the family’s situation and then this led to regular visits from the Compassionate Narayanganj palliative care team to the family’s small tin home. Their mother received training and support to know how to care for their medical needs and the family was provided with food packs, medicines, and sanitation items for daily use. Gradually, the brothers’ weakness and tremors subsided, and they increasingly began to gain some mobility. The visiting Palliative Care Assistant (PCA), Nusrat Jahan Munia, is like a sister and family member,” they said. The PCA added, “Sometimes drops of tears of the mother come down as a sign of gratitude and words of blessings are expressed like, ‘May you live years as much as hair I have in my head!’”
We have been notified that a new funder has granted the WHPCA funds to continue and expand our work in Bangadesh including the Narayanganj program for three years, however these funds will not support our PCA's and the program until April. We need your support to help our team there for the next three months and each month for bare support we need about $3000 USD. Please help us keep this work going so that the 150 patients we are serving can continue to get the support they need during this very difficult time in Bangladesh. Thanks you so very much for your support.
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