Lives will be Changed - Nepal 2010 Mission Patient Stories

A Mission to Serve, the Dharamwati Billhuni Story

Buddhist monk, Dharamwati Billhuni pictured in a Nepal monastery as a Nepalese Buddhist monk, 75-year-old Dharamwati Billhuni’s life purpose is to provide spiritual support to the impoverished and downtrodden in her community. Her daily routine requires her to walk throughout her community providing prayer and comfort, but with sadness in her voice, she said, “fear not being able to perform my mission in life”

Two years ago, what started as minimal pain in both her knees, has developed into debilitating arthritic pain that requires Dharamwati to walk with a cane. She explained, “remember one day trying to visit one of my friends. I needed to pray with her, but I could not walk up the stairs to her home”� As a Buddhist monk, Dharamwati practices the principles of asceticism (abstinence from worldly things). She does not earn a living. Instead she serves her community, and in return, they provide her with food, clothing and other means to live. Without being able to provide community service, it is difficult for her to survive.

To help alleviate the pain in both knees, Dharamwati undergoes physical therapy and takes steroids that only provide temporary relief. In September 2010, Dharamwati’s pain and fears will come to an end. Five surgeons from Women Orthopaedist Global Outreach (WOGO), a not-for-profit volunteer medical service organization will travel to Nepal and perform free orthopaedic surgeries for seventy Nepalese women. Dharamwati will be one of the patients. Dharamwati explained, “learned about the American surgeons from a friend in the monastery who knew of a lady that had knee replacement surgery years ago and is now pain free. I am excited to have the surgery so I can continue my mission to serve people in need.”

WOGO surgeon evaluates Dharamwati's arthritic kneeWOGO is the newest team to join Operation Walk, a 16-year non- profit volunteer medical service organization that provides free surgical treatment in developing countries for patients that have no access to life-improving care for arthritis or other debilitating bone and joint conditions.

During the April 2010 pre-mission trip to Nepal, two of the WOGO surgeons were able to meet and evaluate Dharamwati. The heart of WOGO’s mission is a commitment to caring for under-served women, due to the surgeons own personal experiences with treating women in the United States who suffer from arthritis.

To help transform a woman’s life, so she can walk without chronic pain, and restore her ability to take care of her family and play an important role in her community, please make donations to WOGO. WOGO is a 501 c 3 charity. All donations are tax-deductible.

Movement is Freedom, the Indira Aggarwal Story

Indira Aggarwal, attempting to stand without her walker. For Nepalese housewife, Indira Aggarwal (66), her requests are minimal. “I only want to walk outside and help my daughter-in-law with the house duties”€� Indira explained. The burden of not being able to help her family weighs heavy on Indira’s heart. Surrounded by her family in a quaint home in Kathmandu, Nepal, Indira shares her story of pain and despair.

For twenty years, Indira has suffered with debilitating arthritis pain in both knees. Due to the intensity of her condition, she cannot stand or climb the stairs in her home. The severity of her chronic joint disease has left Indira confined to one room in her home. This is where she sleeps and spends all her days. To help cope with her condition, Indira relies on an array of temporary pain relief solutions including pills and injections. With a look of helplessness in her face, and her family by her side, Indira made a plaintive request... “I want to be free”�

Indira pictured with her familyCommitted to restoring freedom to women like Indira, Women Orthopaedist Global Outreach (WOGO), a not-for- profit volunteer medical service organization, will grant Indira’s request. In September 2010, the team of five fellowship-trained female orthopaedic surgeons will perform free joint replacement surgeries in Kathmandu, Nepal to Indira and many women in need.

WOGO is the newest Operation Walk team. Operation Walk is a 16-year non-profit volunteer medical service organization that provides free surgical treatment in developing countries for patients that have no access to life-improving care for arthritis or other debilitating bone and joint conditions.

To help transform a woman’s life, so she can walk without chronic pain, and restore her ability to take care of her family and play an important role in her community, please make donations to WOGO. WOGO is a 501 c 3 charity. All donations are tax-deductible.

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