Remember Saira of ‘Bangalore Days’? The character of Saira, who vanquishes the handicaps of the body using sheer willpower, is based on a real life character who caught Anjali Menon’s attention at a ward in the Kozhikode Medical College. Baby Fatima, a wheelchair-bound young girl who went to each patient, made them smile and consoled them, was the real life inspiration behind Saira.

Baby Fatima, like Saira, is also fast becoming a rage in the campuses. Fatima is visiting campuses to garner support of the students for the palliative care work in connection with the ‘Becoz I Care’ campaign jointly conducted by the Institute of Palliative Medicine and Students in Palliative Care.

Even though not a radio jockey like Saira in ‘Bangalore Days’, Fatima, too, has the gift of gab. The palliative care workers contend that once Fatima speak a few words to them, any patient will be able to forget their woes. Ask Fatima how she came to possess such boundless positive energy, and she will wax eloquent about her family and her childhood.

Fatima grew up with her ‘moothumma’ Malappuram Kottappadiyil Kiliyamannil Mumtaz Usman’s family as the pampered lone sister of moothumma’s four sons. It was not as a handicapped child that the family treated her. Having been raised in such a way as to instill confidence in her, proved to be her strength, according to Fatima.

Fathima is a second year BSW student now, though she has not gone to school or college for studies. She studied from home. It was as part of the ‘Becoz I Care’ campaign that Fathima had her first glimpse of a campus, giving her immense joy.

BSW was a natural choice for her as social service is her ambition in life. Soon after completing Class 10, Fathima took the lead to meet up with palliative care workers and became part of their activities.

Apart from all these activities, the entrepreneur in Fatima has launched a designer clothes boutique in her own home. Fatima’s muthumma Jamal Ayesha accompanies her to the Medical College every morning, where patients await the girl, who has been a regular presence there for the past five years with a beaming smile and soothing words of care.

Life +ve Becoz I Care campaign is about each student reaching the brochures and registration forms of palliative care to ten households. The goal is to make the kind-hearted souls who are willing to set aside Rs 3 daily (Rs 1000 annually) as members in the ‘Tracks We Live’ project. The palliative care workers will then be able to deliver one time painkillers to one patient at Rs 3. The project aims at alleviating the pain of a patient using one person’s donation.

For registration form visit: www.instituteofpalliativemedicine.org
Phone: 82816 64752

source: http://www.english.manoramaonline.com / OnManorama / Home> Lifestyle> Health / by Kapil Raj / Friday – July 25th, 2014