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January 15, 2017

I was so excited to hear from our dear friend, and the hospital director, Paritosh Joshi this afternoon. He sent some updates and photos of the preparation for the medical camp next week and I couldn’t wait to share the information with our readers. There is a lot going on, so grab a drink and a snack:

The International Kite Festival is celebrated every year on 14th January. It is a uniquely Gujarati phenomenon, when the skies over most cities of the state fill with kites from before dawn until well after dark. The festival marks the days in the Hindu calendar when winter begins turning to summer, known as Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan. On what is usually a bright warm sunny day with brisk breezes to lift the kites aloft, almost all normal activity is shut down across the state and everyone takes to the rooftops and roadways to fly kites and compete with their neighbors. To learn more about the Kite Festival, please visit http://www.gujarattourism.com/fairs-festivals/cultural-festivals/international-kite-festival-uttarayan

Some of the Op Med Volunteers, including yours truly, have had the good fortune to visit during this festival and it’s quite a sight to behold! This year, however, the staff at Kasturba decided to work straight through the Kite Holiday to continue registering over 800 potential patients. To date, Paritosh shared with me that their team has roughly 300 cases for our surgeons to evaluate – unprecedented!

Additionally, the report shared that they have performed 100 mammograms during pre-screening time – this is a new record! Dr. Tanna and Dr. Barton better bring some roller skates and a couple boxes of Wheaties along to keep up the pace!

Please enjoy the photos and check back often to read more about this important mission to Valsad.

Thanks,

Cheryl

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