Radhanath Swami's Free Eye Camps

Barsana Eye Camp – The Beginning

The first Eye camp at Barsana was held in 1992 by the inspiration of Radhanath Swami. In this Eye camp, Radhanath Swami was personally present throughout all the 10 days. He met all the patients almost everyday and served prasadam (sanctified food) to them with great love and affection. Everyday, he gave spiritual discourses to inspire the volunteers in the camp. After the discharge of all the patients, Radhanath Swami took all the volunteers on a tour of the holy places in Barsana. 185 cataract patients were operated in this Camp. The second Eye camp was held in January 1993. 220 cases of cataract were operated. Radhanath Swami was involved in a similar way in this camp also.

Between 1993 and 2002, no camps were held at Barsana. Eye camps were held in January 2002,and again 220 patients were operated upon. Since then, eye camps are being held every year and the number of patients getting treated has been steadily increasing.

FREE Annual Eye Camp, Barsana 2010

-- From the Staff of Bhaktivedanta Hospital

This year, the annual Barsana camp was inaugurated by Mr. Sanjay Singh - Area Operating Officer, India Infoline Ltd., on 1st February 2010. Many senior staff from India Infoline attended the camp and encouraged our team by volunteering for services in the camp.

Lion Harshad Mehta and Lion Saraya of Lions Club of Juhu also attended the camp. We were overwhelmed to successfully operate on many senior citizens who were over 80 years. One such patient, Mrs. Chameli Pandit aged 104 years came to our camp with her 83 year old son. Also many children with eye disorder and bilateral cataract were present. It was indeed very touching, when we saw elderly patients being carried by their children to the camp site. Lion Harshad Mehta said "it reminded me of the Shravan Kumar story of ancient times."

In all, over 2800 patients were screened in OPD and 767 patients were operated for cataract. Besides the eye camp, we also had dental camp, wherein we treated 2546 patients, doing scaling, cleaning, extraction etc. An audio-visual education documentary was shown regarding oral hygiene and dental care to all the patients.

Barsana Camp 2009

-- From the Office of Radhanath Swami and Bhaktivedanta Hospital

Our Screening camp was blessed and inaugurated by Lion Shrikishan Agarwal, District Governor (2008-2009) Lions Club International Dist. 321-C2 along with other Lion Club Members from Agra, Mathura and Vrindavan. Dr. A. K. Chaudhry, Consulting Eye Surgeon and Technical Advisor - Sight First, played a key role in assessing the services and facilities at the camp.

Ms. Melissa, certified nurse from Boston, USA says with a beaming smile, "This is my first visit to India. I am overwhelmed to attend this camp. I am greatly impressed by the quality standards even in this remote place. I am a part of this camp from day one.

About 2800 patients were screened in the OPD and more than 600 patients were operated. Ms. Lorie, Optometrist from Seattle, Washington, and Mr. Amol Kulkarni, USA who are also with me in the camp do echo my feelings."

Besides eye camp, this year dental camp was also conducted and we treated over 1400 patients for bleaching, extraction, scaling and other procedures.

A Hospital Rendering Service with a Difference!

-- Mathura Correspondent, The Pioneer, Vol. 142, Issue 81, March 27, 2006

The BHAKTIVEDANTA HOSPITAL is a hospital with a difference. There are many organizations which conduct eye-relief camps and serve the needy. But what it does is entirely different. Other NGO’s could take a clue from the eye-relief camp organized by it recently.

Most often in such camps, the patients are treated mechanically without considering the fact that they are humans. But here is a unique hospital that comes all the way from Mumbai to Barsana, about 100 kms away from New Delhi, to render holistic care – treatment for the body , mind and soul. Perhaps nowhere else in the world this type of care and compassion has been contemplate let alone practiced. While on one side you have the expert doctors providing best medicare, including surgeries, on the other side you have a host of volunteers including MBA’s and professionals, cleaning the bathrooms and toilets, serving food, assisting the patients and caring them with love and compassion.

For 120 villages in and around Barsana this is the most awaited event apart from Holi. This year, more than 3000 patients were treated in the OPD and 414 patients operated upon in the world-class-set-up at the camp site. Twenty-one patients requiring specialized surgeries were taken to Mumbai at the cost of the hospital along with one relative, treated and operated as per their medical need and sent back to Barsana. All the patients treated at Barsana and at Mumbai were given free medicines for 40 days till follow-up camp.

The second and the final follow-up camp was held this year recently. A total of 418 patients attended the camp out of 435 patients. A thorough and complete check-up was performed for these patients by a team of 2 ophthalmologists, 4 nurses and 12 volunteers from Mumbai. All the operations were found to be 100 percent successful and no complications were reported. The patients were found to be really happy and most of them expressed their gratitude for being moved from darkness to light.

It is a unique feature of the Bhaktivedanta Hospital that both at the hospital as well as in the camps a three-pronged approach is made – first the patient is received and checked professionally and the requisite medical treatment is given using the most modern equipment and techniques. Later, the patient is given food and nursing care at the bedside besides counseling. Finally, the holistic care is given with spiritual and emotional support.

This camp exhibits the true holistic care approach combined with modern medicines. It will be beneficial to other organizations to emulate it. Dr. V. G. Shanbhag, the chief camp coordinator, concluded by saying “for their smile is the best reward for our small efforts to restore their eyesight. As a further step we are working towards setting up a full-fledged modern Eye Care Hospital to provide free treatment to the deprived and the needy of Barsana and also those living in the 120 villages around it”.

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