October 10, 2007

To say that today has been an emotional day would be a gross understatement. I have been sitting in my hotel room staring at my computer screen trying to find a way to put into words what James, Jake, Tulsi and I just witnessed. I am still at a loss but will do my best.

Tulsi collected us early this morning to drive across Kathmandu to Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital. James had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Baral, the head of the Nepal Cancer Research Society at Bhaktapur, when we were in Chicago earlier this year for an oncology conference (thank you to Cephalon Oncology for making that meeting happen). James has since raved about what a wonderful man Dr Baral is, but I was not prepared for the open arms he welcomed us with. His welcome brought me to tears as I felt I had just been hugged by Santa Claus himself. He is a truly genuine man with an incredible dream of becoming a first class cancer center in Nepal. His dream is very much a tangible reality and one that we foresee we can do a great deal to support. After an informative session in his office we embarked upon a tour of the center. At first we were quite impressed; administrative offices, a teaching room to build awareness and educate the community about cancer, an impressive lab (for the third world) and an operating room. The operating room was in use and we waited patiently in the hall to have a sneak peak. A mother emerged with her small child bandaged on the right ear, he had just been operated on and was moved into the hall to be re-bandaged, in tears, as we watched. James and I stepped into the “operating room” from which he had just been treated and could not believe what we saw. A room no bigger than the shoebox I once lived in in Manhattan, an operating table still stained with the child’s blood, a window with stained curtains and dust visible from several feet away, and anesthesiology equipment that dated back to the 60’s. I would not have wanted them to treat my ailing guinea pig in this room. And to think that this is where a patient in Nepal must go to have a mastectomy. It is hard to even write this email without being brought to tears again. We were thrilled to move on to the new wing, an operating wing, that is being built and should be complete within the next 2 months. Dr. Baral has literally thought of everything. He has built a structure to home the family members of patients so that they do not have to travel days from their villages to be beside their loved one. He provides a free shelter for terminal patients to die with dignity and comfort. Nearly every bed was full yet we were still greeted by gracious faces, bowed heads, folded hands and, what has become our mantra, “namaste”.

We discussed the needs, not wants, that would bring Bhaktapur to the next level and allow them to become a first class treatment center. Currently, patients with money to pay for treatment leave and go to India or neighboring regions. Thus, removing much needed dollars from the Nepali health system. If first class treatment could be provided, funding could remain local, and the future of oncology treatment in Nepal would be bright. What are the first steps to getting there?

• Provide training for doctors and nurses,
• Obtain Brackytherapy – internal radiation equipment,
• Obtain a transport vehicle outfitted with a mammography machine to screen people in remote areas.

Seems so simple and so basic yet intangible at the moment for a center like Bhaktapur. Love Hope Strength hopes to step in and help through events like Everest Rocks.

In addition to Bhaktapur Cancer Center, we made a visit to Kanti Children’s Hospital at the request of Janice and Johanna Belson of Medicines Global in Los Angeles. I think I will let the pictures speak for this visit but leave you with a statement from Dr. Tiwari, head of the Pediatric Oncology Department…

“Many parents choose not to treat their child after we have diagnosed them with leukemia because it costs approximately $3,000 dollars to save their life. They have other children and they are willing to sacrifice the life of their child with cancer to provide for the remaining children who are not ill.”

We met a dozen children today, some of which may not be here when we return from Everest in 3 weeks. The moment that may remain with me forever was when James begged a mother, whose child lay in her arms, to allow the doctors to treat him. Her 3 year old has been diagnosed with leukemia, the very disease James beat, thanks to access to modern medicine. She is still refusing treatment.

Shannon Foley
Love Hope Strength
October 10, 2007
Kathmandu, Nepal