Pune Support Group – Sanvedana

“Sanvedana”
Activities:

Epilepsy support group Coming together to make a difference…
Sanvedana is Epilepsy support group, started on the 22nd February 2004. The founder of a group is Yashoda Wakankar. She herself was suffering from this problem for as almost 23 years. So she knew the psychological condition of the concerned person and also her/his parents. So, after her successful brain surgery at Trivandrum, she decided to start such a group, where people with epilepsy will come together and help each other out of this problem.

Sanvedana is a support group of the people with epilepsy, for people with epilepsy and by the people with epilepsy. Being a self–help group, the members have a monthly meeting where they discuss their problems and their views on the problem and in general. Around 40–50 members come to every meeting. Any new information published anywhere on epilepsy is shared here at this meeting. A new member if any is welcomed into the group. Also, when an old member returns after her/his surgery, she/he is congratulated and welcomed back in the group. Some times we invite the expertise for the lectures related to this subject, like ‘Yoga and epilepsy’, ‘Diet and epilepsy’, ‘Parenting’, ‘Hobbies’ etc.

Sanvedana has started a counseling center as well. At our counseling center, we have people coming from far and near, to share their problems on epilepsy. They are many a times scared to do so in a group, so they prefer the counseling center. We also counsel those who want to undergo brain surgery. A detailed procedure and the whole process of the operation, right from getting admitted to getting discharged from the hospital are explained. We also help people from the rural areas with donations for medicines. We have been lucky that we get quite a few donors who are ready to pay for the medicines for those who cannot afford them.

Also, now, Sanvedana holds a special meeting for the youngsters, or the members of the age group 18 to 30 every Saturday. Here, the youngsters discuss other things than their epilepsy problem. Small games, skits etc are talked on here. Sometimes, a special guest is an invitee and the group shared their thoughts and views on whatever the topic of discussion is with that day’s special guest. Jokes are shared and riddles are solved. Sometimes a big riddle or a puzzle is given to the group and the answer is sought for mutually together.

Sanvedana not just holds meetings for the people in Pune city. There are quite a few people from nearby rural areas who attend these meetings whole–heartedly. After learning from us, more and more people with epilepsy are getting their surgery done. In one year, almost 15 people from our group have undergone surgery at the hospital in Trivandrum and are now leading a seizure–free and happy life. And in the months to come many more of our members are going to get their surgery done.

Though due to the good and hard work of Yashoda and her colleagues, people have come to know what exactly this problem is, there are many more who don’t know about it. So, for this, we are soon planning to launch a campaign of awareness about epilepsy. There are many people even in this age of IT and computers, who take seizures to be GOD’s curse. We are going to help people understand what exactly this disorder is and that a person with epilepsy is just like any other person.

Contact
Sanvedana Foundation
Cell Phone: +91 9822008035
Cell Phone: +91 9850887644

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