Suman Mohanty
Change happens when we make it happen. Even a copy of this newspaper you are reading could herald positive change if it reaches the right hands. A group of youths in Cuttack is proving just that through their voluntary outfit named Smile. People such as 39-year-old Uddhab Mohapatra of Bhuban in Dhenkanal district can vouch for the solace the initiative that runs on funds raised from selling old newspapers is able to provide.
Uddhab, who was diagnosed with a debilitating disease affecting the joints, was admitted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack November 22 last. The condition restricted free movement and in his case affected the right knee. Uddhab had been bedridden for long, was in great pain and was helpless as he did not have the money to get a procedure that orthopaedic surgeons had advised him to undergo.
He was clutching at straws when Smile came to his help. They took over his care and supported him to get a surgery done on his right knee. Uddhab is now discharged from hospital and recuperating well. Smile has helped many a poor and destitute patient such as Uddhab admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, and other such healthcare facilities.
It supports patients using not only money raised by selling old newspapers collected from households in the silver city but also through donations they frequently pool among themselves. Smile is not aided by the government or private sponsors and is one of the most active and dedicated groups working at the SCBMCH.
The group is glued together by a belief in the joy of giving and works on the motto ‘service to mankind is service to god’. Subrat Dash, known more popularly as Suraj, founded the group in 2010 with some of his intimate friends and the group has since then been providing financial assistance and support in kind to patients at hospitals. Subrat, who works as a stenographer at the office of the Advocate General at Orissa High Court in Cuttack is ably supported today by more than 25 others in helping poor and needy patients. Abhijit Dash, Ashis Malla, Abhimanyu Ojha, Ajay Kumar Nath, Sadasiv Parida, Muralidhar Pradhan and Biswaranjan Das are some of the key members of Smile.
Before founding Smile, Subrat had been supporting poor patients with the support of some of his close friends. But he realised during his work since 2006 that hospitals were not supporting the initiative in the absence of an organisational framework and identity. That led to the establishment of Smile. Since then, the group has progressed with single-minded dedication without seeking recognition. The best award for Subrat, perhaps, is the honorific his work has earned him at hospitals: He is known as ‘Smile’ Suraj.
The group has come as a ray of hope for patients who do not have attendants to take care of them. Subrat and team, besides devoting time to Smile’s work on a regular basis also utilise their leisure, holidays and weekends to lend a helping hand. On weekends, the team goes around town collecting old newspapers. They meet people and explain the motive behind their collecting old newspapers; while some readily accept their request others decline and even drive them away. Failures have not deterred the group, though,from their pursuit.
Besides helping poor patients, the team has also been campaigning against smoking and tobacco products. They organise awareness rallies, hold seminars on health, environment protection and blood donation in Cuttack. The idea of Smile had originated in the mind of Subrat long before he started working at hospitals.
He says it was the death of his father from cancer at Sunabeda in Koraput in 2003 that got him thinking. Subrat regretted that he could not provide timely treatment to his father owing to the lack of money. He was since drawn to social service and decided to help the poor and needy. With Smile, Subrat continues to build strong foundations of hope with something as frail as paper.
