Charity Clinic Remembers … and Renews Commitment with Optimism

The Indian Doctors Charity Clinic founders, Board and attending physicians at the appreciation luncheon on Sunday, December 11. From left, Dr. Kiran Gandhi, Dr. Manish Gandhi, Dr. Sunita Moonat, Dr. Subodh Chauhan, Dr. K.T. Shah, Dr. Jay Raman and Dr. Suresh Moonat.

The Indian Doctors Charity Clinic founders, Board and attending physicians at the appreciation luncheon on Sunday, December 11. From left, Dr. Kiran Gandhi,
Dr. Manish Gandhi, Dr. Sunita Moonat, Dr. Subodh Chauhan, Dr. K.T. Shah, Dr. Jay Raman and Dr. Suresh Moonat.

By Jawahar Malhotra

STAFFORD: It began with vigor and enthusiasm to provide a brighter future for those who had nowhere to turn for immediate health needs, in a rented space in an office building off Tarneff and DeMoss on the southwest side, almost behind Fire Station 51 on Bellaire Boulevard.

After giving it a lot of thought, in 1999, a group of doctors headed by the husband and wife team of Drs. Sunita and Suresh Moonat jumped in feet first into setting up the free Indian Doctors Club Clinic to take care of the needy and immediately their small three room office was swamped with patients as word got around. With donated supplies and volunteer doctors and nurses spending their Saturday mornings to treat the people who showed up, the clinic filled a void in the fabric of the Bayou City as it was completely free. With interns and other community volunteers, they even set up free check-up and vaccination camps in the parking lot.

Dr. Satish Jhingran receives an award from Indo American Charity Foundation President Nanda Vura (left) and Sushvon Guha, IACF Board Director

Dr. Satish Jhingran receives an award from Indo American Charity Foundation President Nanda Vura (left) and Sushvon Guha, IACF Board Director

The spirit of service and the demand for care has stayed the same at the clinic – now renamed the Indian Doctors Charity Clinic – though the office has moved many years ago to the second floor of an office building at 6550 Mapleridge, across from Bellaire General Hospital near Chimney Rock and South Rice in Bellaire. It still opens every Saturday for four hours and usually 35 to 40 people get to see the attending physicians. For most of the past decade, the patients would see Dr. K.T. Shah, a gastroenterologist, who has devoted his life to serving humanity since his retirement, and also Dr. Jay Raman, a general surgeon who would assist.

This past Sunday, December 11, the Indian Doctor’s Charity Clinic held its Second Annual Appreciation Lunch at the BAPS Swami Narayan Temple meeting hall. It was a virtual repeat of the same function held at the same venue last year but there were several pieces of good news that the organizer Kishore C. Mehta (better known simply as KC) wanted to share with the public. Lunch was prepared and served by the Temple itself and sponsored by Sudhir and Alka Mathuria.

 

Dr. Manish Gandhi (left) presents an award to Dr. Jay Raman

Dr. Manish Gandhi (left) presents an award to Dr. Jay Raman

Since Dr. Shah has been confined to a wheelchair two years ago due to an affliction of Parkinson’s disease, the Clinic has worried about its future for providing a General Practice physician. Shah has been a reliable constant, come rain or shine, and as his disease has progressed, his mobility has been slowed down, even though he still goes to the clinic. “Sometimes, when the elevator doesn’t work,” he recounted, “the volunteers – and even some patients – lift me up in the chair over the stairs!”

Mehta was pleased to announce that the future looked brighter with events that unfolded over the past year. The clinic will be handled by Dr. Kiran Gandhi, who has been the assistant Director for the last two years. Other physicians and medical students have come forward to volunteer their time. The clinic continues to get financial support from the Indian Doctor’s Association and the Indo American Charity Foundation, which has donated the entire proceeds from its Walkathon this year to the IDCC. IDA President Manish Gandhi and IACF President Nanda Vura were at hand to present recognition awards at the luncheon.

Event organizer K.C. Mehta, who also helps to manage the clinic

Event organizer K.C. Mehta, who also helps to manage the clinic

But what was exciting news was that the clinic will now be able to offer free vision care through the generosity of Dr. Ravi Chandra, an ophthalmologist who has purchased and loaned the equipment to the IDCC and will volunteer his time there. Chandra has also persuaded biotech companies to donate eye drops and glasses and is hoping to provide free or low cost cataract surgery too. Mehta also said that Dr. Priti Palvadi, a neurologist, is planning to join and see patients once a month.

Clinic chief nurse Debbie Ray gets an award from Anjali Patel (left) and Bharati Desai

Clinic chief nurse Debbie Ray gets an award from Anjali Patel (left) and Bharati Desai

These services will add to the already low cost CAT scan and MRI services offered by Dr. Lucky Chopra at his center near the Medical Center and the free radiology consult that Dr. Satish Jhingran continues to provide; the deeply discounted endoscopy ($700 versus normally $3,000) that Dr. Nat Bala offers; the low cost biopsies ($50 versus $400) that Dr. Ragini Lukhia offers and the free consult that urologist Dr. Pulin Pandya provides.

Dr. Shah could not help but remember his solo-letter-writing campaigns to raise funds that brought forward some generous donors, like Raju and Anjali Patel (who were in attendance) who donate $5,000 each year. It is this spirit of community-minded service – and the support of dedicated staff like Debbie Ray, Lilianna Munoz, Reggie Mercy, Emily Sierra and Ms. Coco and volunteers alike – that the IDCC sees as its key to the future.