Spine Research Foundation (SRF) is organizing a small event, UPRIGHT 2024 at Rotary Sadan, on the morning of 11th February 2024 and on this occasion, a press meeting has been arranged. The trustees of SRF (Dr Saumyajit Basu, Dr Trinanjan Sarangi, Mr. Avijit Deb) would address the meeting along with a few eminent dignitaries.
The program has been arranged to raise an awareness on spinal deformities and to share some poignant patient stories which have a strong message to carry home. There will be a panel discussion on the challenges faced to get a proper treatment for spinal disorders. Eminent panellists include Dr Apurba Ghosh (Lead Paediatrician, Institute of Child Health), Dr Indrajit Sardar (Lead Orthopaedic Surgeon, Nightingale Hospital), Dr Indranil Sanyal (Pathologist and Novelist), Dr Kamaleswar Mukherjee (Film Director, Actor and Physician), Dr Jyoti Chatterjee (Nuclear Scientist), Mr Biplab Dasgupta (Noted Film Actor) and Mr Debshankar Haldar (Noted theatre personality)
The program will also witness a novel interaction with children who had suffered from major spinal deformities and had been treated through SRF. They would share their stories live regarding the severe financial challenges they had and how spinal surgeries have changed their lives, enabling them to live normally, enjoy life to the fullest extent and contribute to their family upliftment.
This will be followed by a one-act play, Alor Disha, the theme of which revolves around a little girl affected with a severe spinal deformity known as ‘Scoliosis’ and how she survives the fight to achieve stardom, coming to terms with her anguish in family life.
We take this opportunity to cordially invite you to take part in the program and spread the message through the media.
ABOUT SRF
Spine Research Foundation (SRF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to education and training in spine-related disorders and has a major role in sponsoring the surgical expenses of those patients who desperately require complicated and expensive surgeries but cannot afford them.
Over the last 15 years, SRF has been instrumental in many spinal training courses for orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons involved in the care of patients with spinal ailments. A structured two-year spine fellowship program is conducted every year, and this is one of the most coveted training programs in India. Research proposals by this organization have been repeatedly awarded by national and international societies, and quite a few have already been completed and published in peer-reviewed journals.
From a societal standpoint, SRF has been involved in more than 200 spine surgeries, the majority of them complicated and difficult spine surgeries for spinal deformities. All the doctors involved, including the surgeons, anaesthesiologists, physiotherapists, and neurophysiologists, have served these patients completely free of charge. The hospital bills, including the OT charges and medicine bills, were sponsored by SRF, leading to a huge financial respite for the patient and their family. Most of their patients were children who had a crooked spine, and these spinal deformities, if left untreated, can cause major respiratory problems, back pain, and occasionally lead to paralysis of the legs.
This organization has been silently functioning for fifteen years and on the same tune, we are planning to organize a program on Sunday, February 11, 2024, to make our small efforts visible to many, to connect with our old patients, and to have a small gathering of like-minded people who will lend a hearing to our cause and may be convinced to take part in our journey.
MESSAGE FROM THE TRUSTEES
We, the trustees of SRF firmly believe that all patients with spinal ailments should get proper treatment, irrespective of caste, creed, or financial condition. Spinal deformities, in particular “Scoliosis”, should be focussed upon because it is a great area of neglect and misinformation. Evidence based information should be available and the need for early detection is imperative to improve outcome of treatment.