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Hope blooms for a Rose BY MELVYN MISQUITA
decided to donate Rs 2,000 towards his medical expenses. We feel that there are so many people like him in Goa who may not have got the necessary medical facilities and attention from authorities,” said Mr S Rodrigues of Colva. “We do not have proper infrastructure at the GMC and our doctors are not exposed to the latest medical advances. My friends were discussing the issue of Albert Rose and we hope others too would have been touched by his plight,” Mr Rodrigues added. Mr Rodrigues went on to recall his tragic experiences at the GMC three years ago. “The GMC had modern ventillators installed for two years, but there were no technicians to operate them. Due to this inefficiency, I lost my baby twins in October 2001,” said Mr Rodrigues. “The amount that we’d like to give Albert is in memory of our twins whom we lost so tragically.” A professional musician from Margao, who also donated Rs 5,000 to Albert Rose, has strongly felt tiatrists should have a fund for fellow tiatrists and musicians, who are in need of financial assistence. “Affliction can always strike any musician and tiatrist at any time. The job of a musician and tiatrist is insecure and we need to be prepared to help our comrades in need. There are well-to-do musicians who can also contribute their bit to the cause,” said the musician, who declined to be identified. “So much money has been given to Tsunami victims and it is good that people are generous. But when it come to genuine cases of people in need of money here in Goa, we tend to forget them. Only a handful of people actually rise to their assistence,” the Margao-based musician added. Moved by the plight of a fellow Aldonkar, Mr Mendonca also decided to assist Albert Rose by donating Rs 5,000 to him. He even offered to ask his banker to arrange the funds to be delivered to Albert Rose’s residence in Carona. In another act of generosity, Mrs B Viegas of Porvorim personally went to meet Albert Rose and donated Rs 2,000 to him. “We read the report in the morning. I did not know Allbert Rose and I didn’t even know that Carona existed at all,” Mrs Viegas told Herald. “However, I decided to go to Aldona and meet him. I wanted to help him because I knew how difficult life would be not only for him, but for his wife as well,” Mrs Viegas added. Then, a demand draft for Rs 5,000 was sent to Albert by registered post, from a person who simply identified himself as Tony. Besides the benefactors who readily came forward to provide financial assistence to Albert Rose, there were others who offered sympathetic words of support. In an email, X Mendonca wrote: “I was so touched after reading this article. It has really shaken me up and stopped to thank God of how fortunate we all are and yet have so many complaints. I hope and pray that someone reaches out to Albert at this time when he needs big time help. Sad to be in such a state.” In another email, Gilbert Lawrence from New York in USA said: “Thank you Albert Fernandes for having the courage to share your tragic story with us. I wish some other physician who knows a lot more about the situation in Goa would have piggybacked on this story and shared with us what we could all learn from this tragedy.” “Diabetic victims should belong to a support group. Every Goan village should have a diabetic support-group. Patients need to undergo a lot of education from local doctors, (who can take turns) about learning to control their diet and monitoring their blood sugar. Albert can give the impetus and visibility to form such groups to educate others about awareness, early detection and proper treatment of diabetes.” “The Diaspora cyber-Goans and other Goans could make it a project to provide each village (support-group) a blood-sugar measuring-kit for community use,” suggested Mr Lawrence. Albert Rose was filled with emotion when this journalist went to his residence on Thursday morning, to hand over to him the two envelopes which had been sent by his well-wishers from Margao and Colva. “I am very happy and touched that so many kind people have come to my succour. They have saved my life,” said Albert Rose, fighting back the tears of gratitude. Albert Rose was also grateful to the Herald for highlighting his plight. “Despite my qualities and talents, I was suffering both mentally and physically. But Herald has picked me up from my grave,” acknowledged Albert Rose. [Comments on this article] My wife just told me about the story that appeared about Rose because much before she read Herald, her friends called on her and told her. I would say that you are the greatest donor for Rose, since you highlighted the story, everything that happened was possible. I hope you will keep up the good work and help many more, I and my fellow brothers will always be there with you. At the moment, am out of India and will be home soon. Regards, Saturnino
Rodrigues Hi Friends, Please read this article till the end and see how fortunate you all are by counting your blessings. Suggest we all can reach out to our brother Albert who is in much-much need and we can surely lend him our helping hands by sharing our little joys with him and by sacrificing a part of our joys in sending him a small donation which will make life easier for him and his family to cope with. Requesting you to please forward this mail to your friends who can help Albert Fernandes at this time. Thanks and keep in touch!! Love, To comment on this report, please Click Here to contact Melvyn Misquita. |
