A Time of Need

[Guest guest]

Thursday, January 6, 2005

Pravin PatelBy Kelly Wilson

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Dr. Pravin Patel knows he faces risks by traveling to the tsunami-ravaged

country of Sri Lanka, but he's willing to take those risks if it means aiding

victims in need.

"I know it is dangerous," says Patel, a physician with Quincy Medical Group.

"There's the danger of infections ... if another earthquake hits the area, I

don't know. The risk is there, but there are a lot of people who are in need of

help."

Patel leaves for Sri Lanka on Friday and will return Jan. 16. He's joining six

other physicians from across the country who are part of Shri Sathya Sai, a

group that Patel says extends help without expectation of anything in return.

He travels with the same group nearly every year to provide medical care at a

hospital in India, but he's never been involved in

a relief effort such as this and he's not sure what to expect.

"It will be interesting and it will be a challenge," he said. "The majority of

the work will be to see the people and if we recognize infection, we will put

them on the appropriate antibiotic we'll be carrying with us."

The Dec. 26 tsunami killed 30,615, injured 15,686 and displaced 773,636 people

in Sri Lanka, according to information reported today by the Department of

Census and Statistics in Sri Lanka. Nearly 4,000 others are still missing.

Patel wanted to help as soon as he learned of the disaster.

"I heard about this big disaster and wanted to see what I could do," he said.

"People give monetary donations, and that is well appreciated. But if I can go

there and help them directly ... that's what I was thinking."

So when he got a phone call on Sunday asking if he'd be interested in the Sri

Lanka trip, he didn't hesitate.

"I know we are going to face a lot of hardship there," he said. "But if we can

help them, that will be a small service we can offer to them."

Because he's had little time to prepare for his departure, "it's causing turmoil

in my office," he said. "Thanks to my nurses who are really helping me out by

rescheduling appointments. I hope my patients in Quincy understand. They have

to go through a hassle, and I'm sorry and apologize for that."

Patel also is grateful to two colleagues, Dr. Louis Kim and Dr. Arif Chaudhry,

who have agreed to take care of his hospitalized patients while he's gone, and

to Quincy Medical Group for donated much-needed antibiotics.

Quincy Medical Group also held a fund-raiser today — a jeans day in which

employees could wear jeans to work for a $2 donation, with all proceeds going

to Patel's mission. Employees also made donations to the cause.

"I'm very thankful to my wife and my family," Patel adds. "They know it is a big risk there."

Contact Staff Writer Kelly Wilson

at kwilson (AT) whig (DOT) com

or (217) 221-3391

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