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“As we get involved in the emotional healing of others, we get healed emotionally ourselves.”
Year: 2022
Category: Health Care
People Impacted: 5000
Thank you so much for saving me, says an emotional 10 year-old Sejal Raj.
Sejal was the first heart patient to be operated on at the new Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Heart Hospital in Suva on Saturday.
Her operation was free of charge.
In 2019, through a screening consultation at the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Medical Centre, a Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) was identified in her heart.
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a persistent opening between the two major blood vessels leading from the heart.
The opening (ductus arteriosus) is a normal part of a baby’s circulatory system in the womb that usually closes shortly after birth.
If it remains open, it’s called a patent ductus arteriosus.
Sejal’s parents could not contain their emotions yesterday after their daughter was discharged from hospital following the successful operation.
Mother, Shubila Wati said it was a burden off their shoulders and she could not thank the hospital enough for the successful treatment of her daughter.
At first, she was nervous about the operation, but it was a decision she would never regret.
“I really didn’t know how to react when we were informed by the doctors of her condition,” she said.
“I did not know what would happen because it was the first time we heard of this as she was a normal child growing up.”
“We could only hope that everything went well with her.”
“If it was not for the screening that was done here, we wouldn’t have been able to identify the sickness that she had.”
She said they were lucky to be among the first batch of patients operated in the new hospital.
“A very big thank you to Mr and Mrs Tappoo for this hospital.”
She added that they would have been running around looking for funds to send her daughter overseas if it wasn’t for the hospital.
Sejal was operated on by the team on Saturday morning and was fit to be discharged yesterday.
Hospital Director
Hospital director Dr Krupali Tappoo said a team of 21 was in the country and it was hoping to operate on 30 patients by May 8.
The team is led by Dr Shaun Setty of Miller Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles.
“They have done a great job,” she said.
“Most of our team members are from the US, we have some nurses from Australia and a doctor from Oman.”
“We also have local nurses and medical professionals who are here to observe and learn as much as they can from these professionals.”
Sejal Raj, 10, with the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital director Dr Krupali Tappoo and Sai Prema Fiji Foundation director v before she was discharged from the hospital in Suva on May 1, 2022. Photo: Inoke Rabonu
Dr. Krupali Tappoo is an Australian qualified General Practitioner and with vast experience in the Australian Health system. She worked with Queensland Health and NSW Health and in various hospitals in Sydney from 2008 till 2016. She has worked in various departments including Cardiology, Respiratory Medicine, Endocrinology, General Medicine, Orthopedics, Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry including eating disorders, Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Renal Medicine. Krupali has also worked as a tutor for the Victorian Medical Postgraduate Foundation (VMPF) in Melbourne and the Australian Medical Review Council in Sydney (helped train overseas doctors prepare for their AMC clinical exam).
In 2014 she joined the General Practice training program and has successfully completed her Fellowship in General Practice and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. She has also completed her Diploma in Child Health from the Sydney Children’s Hospital and a Certificate in Sexual and Reproductive Health from Sexual Health and Family Planning Australia. Her special interests include Women’s and Children’s Health, Mental Health and Management of Acute and Chronic diseases.
In 2016, she relocated to Fiji, her country of birth, with the sole purpose of giving back to her country as a passionate and caring Doctor as well as serving the poor and needy people of Fiji through her philanthropic work. She currently serves as the Medical Coordinator & Member of the Executive Committee for the Sai Prema Foundation. She has also been appointed as the Medical Director of the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Medical Centre. She runs her own practice, TappooCity Medical Centre, a practice which she took over from one of Fiji’s most senior GP’s, Dr. Rosemary Mitchel, who is also an Australian qualified Medical Practioner.
Dr. Krupali is also a writer and has published medical-based articles in various high profile magazine and national newspapers including Mai Life Magazine and the Fiji Sun. Her articles are focused upon bringing a greater sense of health awareness to the people of Fiji.
Since 2019, Dr. Krupali is an Assistant Professor in Family Medicine with the Fiji National University.
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Hope Collaborative is a Massachusetts 501(c)(3) non profit organization with a mission to make outstanding leadership development a standard for kids and teens living in poverty. Our program is arts-integrated, student-driven and team-focused. We provide our partner sites–both school and after-school programs–with expert facilitators, curriculum, technology access and support they need to implement world-class programs.
Address: Hope Collaborative Office, 14 Clark Street, Belmont, Massachusetts, 02478
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