Friends of Purnyotara

Purnyotara Radhika devi dasi (Shukla Gain) is from Bangladesh. As her family’s sole breadwinner/financial earner, she was working in Hong Kong to support her aged mother and young son in Bangladesh. On 24-April of last year (2022), she fell while at work and suffered nerve damage that left her without the use of her right leg. A few months later, the problem began appearing in the other leg as well, and by November 2022 she found herself unable to walk, even with the aid of a walker.

She received medical treatment in Hong Kong but without any improvement to her condition. There were even signs the nerve damage could be spreading to her upper limbs, raising question as to the exact diagnosis (currently thought to be a variant form of CIDP). But in any case, it became increasingly clear that effective options for her treatment in Hong Kong were essentially exhausted.

Worried that she would find herself in a situation where she was paralysed and stranded away from home, Purnyotara decided to forgo further treatment in Hong Kong (as well as the pursuit of an insurance claim) to instead return home to Bangladesh while she was still able to travel by air. With the support of devotees in Hong Kong, this happened on 9-Mar. She was able to return home to her mother and son.

Now she is seeking care in India, where long-term comprehensive treatment can include both allopathic and ayurvedic treatments in parallel. Our hope is that she will gradually recover and regain her health so that she can once again serve Srila Prabhupada, Guru & Gauranga.

We have launched this campaign to raise funds to cover Purnyotara Radhika devi dasi’s travel and medical expenses. Her travel expenses are now more than doubled, for she is unable to travel alone. She is wheelchair-bound and must be accompanied by those who can help her in all personal and safety related respects. Her medical expenses in India will include not only the cost of long term, focused residential treatment (estimated 6 months), but also the cost of room and board for her and those helping her (she will need to rent a room for her and her family members to stay nearby the hospital).

For this we are hoping to raise at least HK$200,000 (US$25K). This would cover the estimated USD100/day for treatment plus room and board for her and her accompanying family members in India, as well as cover all associated travel expenses.

We remain hopeful that with high quality, long term treatment in India, Purnyotara Radhika devi dasi will be able to see real improvement in her condition. We are hopeful she will be able to regain the use of her legs. But for this, she needs our financial help. She cannot do it alone.

Please join us in supporting her by donating generously. Let's at least give her a chance to regain her health, to be able to support herself and her family, and lead a life in service to Guru and Gauranga.

Thanking you in anticipation,

Hare Krishna

Chandrasekhar Acarya das (GBC for China region)
Email: [email protected]

Jayasri devi dasi (Iskcon Hong Kong Temple Council)
Email: [email protected]

Sri Radhika devi dasi (Iskcon Hong Kong devotee care coordinator)
Email: [email protected]
Whatsapp: +852 9629 1416

Tom Desouches
Email: [email protected]
Whatsapp: +852 9329 7849

(When entering you donation amount, please note that the fundraiser is denominated in Hong Kong Dollars, which are about 1/8th in value compared to US Dollars. In other words, HK$500 = US$64)