In this edition, Brian Flanagan (Founder Director) shares some of his experiences when travelled to Calcutta in November 2015.

One boy was missing from the group. Nine year old Rahul was in hospital for an operation on his throat. Rahul suffers from TB and had developed a mass on his neck. He’s making a recovery and should be discharged soon from Ram Krishna hospital. Rahul also missed out on a mini holiday in a resort an hour outside Kolkata where we spent two days.

In the Hospital, I was to meet several children who touched my heart so deeply. With reference to Diwali and fireworks, I met 11 year old Suman who was trying to light a rocket when it exploded in his face. The poor lad was more concerned about missing his school exams than his injuries which you can judge from his photo were significant. He is lucky not to have lost his eyesight. 

Then another boy named Bishnu who is six years old. With no one to care for him as him as his mother had run away from her abusive, alcoholic husband, Bishnu fell into poor health and a wound on his head became badly infected. So badly infected that despite efforts by local police to have the child seen to in local hospitals, three refused to take him because of maggot infestation in the deep wound. The Hope Hospital again came to his rescue and after several painful days of delicate treatment he has been cured. While taking his photo he insisted I take a photo of his scalp proudly displaying his scars. We hope to bring this child to Bekind Boys’ Home to start a new life subject to a court order being approved.

Then I met a little girl who had been found wrapped in newspaper in a plastic bag under one of the seats of a train in Sealdah Station. A train cleaner heard a whimper and discovered her. Traumatised and weak from lack of food and water the little mite has made a good recovery in Hope’s loving care. She has a congenital condition and despite her tiny size, it is thought she is eight or nine years old. She, much to the surprise of the hospital staff, started speaking after about a week and hasn’t stopped since. Mentally she appears perfect but her physical disabilities mean full time care is required. Who dumped her on the train we do not know but whoever it was knew she would be found. She is a pure joy to hold and is such a good natured child with a great sense of humour. She has been called Riya.

I was so pleased to receive word from the Hope Hospital Manager, Samiran, that on reviewing the CT results for Ujjwal and on the advice from the anaesthesiologist the surgeon was prepared to operate. Then on some pre-op blood tests it was discovered that the poor lad had Hepatitis B. It was impossible to continue as Hep B is highly infectious. This shows just how important having all the necessary inoculations it is for Irish volunteers.