Saturday 24 March 2012

Saturday 26 May 2012

Sunday 15 July 2012

Sunday 30 September 2012

The criteria are:

1. You are between the age of 30 and 60.

2. You do not already suffer from diabetes.

3. You do not have a known diagnosis of high blood pressure.

4. You have not had the screening tests done with us before.

There is a specific shortage of young male donors between the ages of 18 and 30, and this event helped to address this gap. For example, a 24-year-old temple-goer of Indian origin has recently been diagnosed with leukaemia and urgently requires a bone marrow transplant. A match had not been found from the current register of bone marrow donors, and this drive will help many like him find a life-saving match, especially as the likelihood of a match increases with donors from the same ethnic background.

As part of the drive, a total of 22 volunteers from BAPS Charities were also trained in recruiting bone marrow donors. Lynsey Dickson, Regional Recruitment Manager for Anthony Nolan, suggested that volunteers from the charity would be taken with the Anthony Nolan team to other recruitment events in the local community in the future.

The campaign proved to be a notable success as 82 new donors registered. A young male that had registered to be a donor at a previous drive with BAPS Charities spoke of his experience of being a bone marrow donor, and his privilege of saving a life. This helped to encourage many more young people to register.

For more information about joining the Bone Marrow Register and the important work of The Anthony Nolan Trust, please follow the respective links.

The Emergency Life Support (ELS) course covers not only CPR training but also teaches other vital skills such as recognising a heart attack, dealing with choking and serious bleeding, assessing an unconscious casualty, and helping during cardiac arrest.

During November and December 2011, Malcolm Ritchie, a Community Resuscitation Training Officer from the London Ambulance Service, led an ELS programme which trained six BAPS Charities volunteers to become Heartstart instructors. These trained volunteers have gone on to conduct the course on five occasions and already taught ELS to a further 58 volunteers at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London.

Divyabala Patel, a newly trained ELS responder, shared, “It’s so reassuring to know that you can be of vital help to someone in the community and can make the difference between, literally, life and death. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to help.”

The course, which follows current Resuscitation Council (UK) guidelines, will continue to run at the Mandir to raise awareness about ELS and train additional volunteers and members of the community. BAPS Charities’ ongoing partnership with the British Heart Foundation has led the BHF to also provide complimentary training equipment for the course.

To learn more about the British Heart Foundation’s Heartstart initiative and the London Ambulance Service, please follow the respective links.

Disclaimer: BAPS Charities is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The Oshwal Health Awareness Day was an educational and interactive event, designed to provide basic health screening, health information, and guidance on leading a healthy lifestyle. Through various talks, workshops and therapies, the event raised awareness of various health issues, including diabetes, ischemic heart disease, raised cholesterol, dementia and cancer.

BAPS Charities UK, in association with The Royal Free Hospital, played an important part on the day by organising cardiovascular risk assessment for the community.

The attendees were offered the following investigations:

• Height and waist measurement
• Body mass assessment
  
• Blood analysis for diabetes and raised cholesterol
  
• Blood sampling for further analysis at the hospital laboratory

From the initial findings, those who were at a higher risk were additionally offered a carotid Doppler scan to assess any narrowing in the arteries supplying the brain or arterial stiffness to determine resistance in the major arteries.

Following the above assessments, all attendees were offered consultation with a doctor who discussed the results and offered advice on ways of improving their lifestyles and reducing the risks of major cardiovascular illness.

BAPS Charities UK was able to contribute through its special team of volunteers who have been trained by The Royal Free Hospital in carrying out such medical screening.

Other supporters of the event included Asthma UK, the British Heart Foundation, Diabetes UK, Kidney Research UK, Macmillan, MIND, Sig-mobility, and The Stroke Association.

The event proved to be a great success with feedback from the attendees being very encouraging.

BAPS Charities, UK organised a Dental Health Seminar at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London on Sunday 13 November 2011. It was attended by more than 200 people, for whom 18 dentists and dental students offered their professional expertise.

The aim of the seminar was to raise awareness about the:

–        benefits and importance of caring for one’s dental and oral health

–        availability of NHS dental services

–        importance of visiting your dentist regularly

–        availability of various treatment options

As part of the seminar, seven stations were set up, each dealing with an important topic of dental health care. They offered a plethora of information in the form of leaflets, posters, models, demonstrations and interactive presentations with small group discussions. The topics covered were:

• Effective Oral Hygiene

• Diet and Dental Health Education

• Dry Mouth and Oral Cancer and Precancerous Lesions

• Crowns, Bridges, Implants and Temporo-Mandibular Joint Diseases

• NHS Dentistry

• Orthodontics for Children and Youngsters

• Denture Care for the Elderly

Senior dentists were also on hand to answer any further questions using their experience, expertise and, if necessary, Gujarati-speaking skills to simplify dental jargon.

The seminar proved to be an important and useful learning experience for all who attended.

This was in appreciation for the money raised by BAPS Charities which helped fund the life-saving programme.

BAPS Charities funded one of the collectors’ posts for a year by raising £22,000 during its Annual Challenge in 2009 when it partnered with Anthony Nolan, the blood cancer charity.

The cord blood collection programme, run by Anthony Nolan, allows mothers to donate their cord blood for use in stem cell transplants as an alternative to finding a matching adult donor. The service was expanded in October 2011 to allow 24/7 collection, meaning mothers can donate their cord whatever time they give birth. (To find out more about how cord blood saves lives, please click here.)

On his visit to the centre on 15 October 2011, Dr Mayank Shah of BAPS Charities UK expressed, “We’re really excited to see firsthand how the money we have raised has helped the cord collection programme. The programme is very important to us, as it’s much harder to find matching donors for South Asian and other black and ethnic minority patients. Having more cord blood units available will speed this process up.”

A report of the visit can also be found on the Anthony Nolan website here. A certificate to thank BAPS Charities UK from the Anthony Nolan Trust can be found here.

Anthony Nolan has four cord blood collection centres in NHS hospitals: King’s College Hospital London, Royal Free Hampstead, Leicester Royal Infirmary, and LeicesterGeneralHospital, with plans to open more. NHS Blood and Transplant has five cord blood collection centres: Barnet General, Watford General, NorthwickPark, Luton and Dunstable, and St George’sHospitals. 

To learn more about the Anthony Nolan charity and its work for blood cancer patients, please click here.

To see various news reports and photos of BAPS working with the Anthony Nolan Trust as its national charity partner in 2009, please click here.

BAPS Charities hosted a multi-professional educational event on the 23 June 2011 to raise the awareness of Tuberculosis (TB). The event titled “Tuberculosis: Is it a Health or Housing Issue?” was chaired by Dr Bharat Patel and was attended by General Practitioners, Consultants and Allied Health Professionals from the London Boroughs of Brent and Harrow.

Ms Minal Patel, a pharmacist and manager at Boots Chemist, conducted the session which was attended by 50 people.

Through her presentation and interactive discussion, Ms Patel covered various topics, including medicine for diabetes and heart disease, pain killers, antibiotics, common side-effects of medication, and where to seek health care and related advice.

The aim of the seminar was to raise awareness about the benefits and importance of taking medicines in the correct manner that they are prescribed. Ms Patel emphasised that medicines are patient-specific and should not be shared or distributed to others. She also addressed some common myths surrounding many medicines.

The participants were educated about the vast amount of research that is conducted for the appropriate use and benefits of medicines before they are prescribed and informed that medicines will only be effective if they are taken as advised.

The seminar proved to be an important and useful learning experience for all who attended.

Many South Asians have high Blood Pressure or Diabetes, the two main causes for kidney failure, and it is now recognised that an Asian person with diabetes is 10 times more likely to develop kidney failure than a Caucasian person with diabetes. Overall, although Asians are 3-5 times more likely to need an organ transplant, only 1% of the Asian community is on the Organ Donation register (out of 17 million people). This means it takes a lot longer for members of the South Asian community to get an appropriately matched organ.

Members of Kidney Research UK that attended the BAPS 10K Challenge conveyed this message to all those taking part in the challenge.

The team spoke to approximately one thousand people, and 94 people joined the organ donation the register on the day. Some people had already signed up to the register, and many were undecided, but were made aware of the issues faced by the South Asian community, given important information and were able to go away and think about the importance of organ donation and transplantation.

More than 80 attendees benefitted from the expert advice that was provided through discussion, supported by relevant presentations. The aim of the seminar was to raise awareness of these conditions and to promote well being within the community.

• Most common form of joint disease;
• A degenerative joint disease which rarely starts before the age of 40. Women are affected more than men;
• Hips, knees, small joints of hands, neck, big toes and lower back are commonly affected and shoulder, ankle, wrists joints are less affected;
• Pain is the main symptom which is worse on exercise and at the end of the day. Possible change in shape of the joint due to bone and joint swelling;
• There is thinning of the muscle due to reduced use
• Many of these changes lead to restricted movements. This makes the joint unstable, legs “gives way” and leads to falls

• Different from osteoarthritis – usually starts slowly and varies from one person to another. Initially tends to affect wrist and small joints in hands and feet;
• Pain and swelling in the joints are early symptoms. People also feel tired, depressed or irritable, even with mild arthritis; anaemia is very common;
• Women are more affected than men and starts between ages of 40 and 50;
• Diagnosed by symptoms, examination and blood tests. Sometimes x-rays or special scans such as ultrasounds are performed early;
• Your GP may refer you to a specialist early as this is more serious than osteoarthritis;
• Painkillers are used for pain but this type of arthritis requires special treatment to slow the disease. These drugs are prescribed by a rheumatologist because of careful monitoring and these medications may have serious side effects. Sometimes steroid tablets are used as part of treatment.

• Very common complaint in all age groups;
• 80-90% adults will have backache at some point in their lives;
• 95% of back pain will be due to mechanical reasons;
• Common back pain (mechanical) is usually worse in the morning, improves with activity and varies with posture. This pain is dull in nature, poorly localised, usually felt in lower lumbar area but can move to buttocks and thighs;
• Worrying features or serious causes of back pain include:

-          constant, progressive pain with no relief;

-          pain with severe morning stiffness;

-          presence of fever and weight loss;

-          past history of cancer or TB;

-          difficulty walking, passing urine and opening bowels.

If any of these symptoms are present, one must see a doctor as soon as possible or sometimes may need to go to A+E department.

For common back pain, regular pain killers would help and it is important to remain active. Back pain will resolve within a few weeks. It is important to look at posture, regular exercise and good footwear. For serious causes of back pain, you will need special tests in hospital and sometimes special treatment (antibiotics, surgery, etc)

• 3 million people suffer with osteoporosis in the UK;
• In osteoporosis, the bone becomes very thin and breaks easily;
• Hip, spine and wrist joints commonly fracture with osteoporosis;
• 50 % of women and 20% of men at risk of fracture after age 50;
• Risk factors associated with developing osteoporosis include being a female, lack of exercise, low Vitamin D and calcium, heavy smoking and family history;
• No specific symptoms develop until you break a bone. Sometimes people notice loss of height due to increased curvature of spine;
• Main treatment is regular calcium with vitamin D and special osteoporosis treatment;
• Specific treatment can be taken as once weekly tablets; injections may be necessary if side effects from tablets;
• For fractures, one would need a joint replacement or plates to join the bones;
• Osteoporosis can be prevented to a great extent by building strong bones in childhood and adolescence, a balanced diet rich in calcium, and Vitamin D, and regular weight bearing exercises.

For all types of arthritis, back pain and disability from fracture, it is important to get appropriate assessment from physiotherapists, occupational therapists and social workers. You may be eligible for disability or carer allowance.

Further information can be obtained from GP surgeries, local libraries and local AGE UK branches.

The consultations were open for children aged between 6 months to 18 years. Over the two days, approximately 300 children were seen. The feedback was very positive, as one parent shared: “We’re very grateful to BAPS Charities for organising an event like this. Visiting the dentist is one of those dreaded things for children, but they have made it fun and educational.”

For useful guidance about dental health, visit the NHS’s website here.

Disclaimer: BAPS Charities is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Meesha Patel was born on 6 March 1985 with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), or ‘brittle bone disease’. Despite her physical disability, she was always a joy to be around and never allowed her wheelchair-bound state to hamper her studies – she completed her BSc and MSc in Biomedical Sciences at Kingston University – or even her participation in BAPS’s sponsored walks to raise money for various charities. She was also an active and valued member of the youth forum at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London. Meesha passed away last year at the age of 24.

The cheques were presented by Jayesh Patel (Meesha’s brother) and AP Patel (Trustee of BAPS Charities) to representatives of the three charities.

John Phillips, Vice Chairman of The Brittle Bone Society, shared in his address: “I have been struck by the warmth of the words that people used to describe Meesha. For anybody to achieve an MSc in Microbiology is a fabulous thing, but that’s even more so for somebody like Meesha who had to overcome the challenges of living with OI. Meesha also loved to help The Brittle Bone Society and people like her who had OI. She was a leading light in the charity. She had many friends in the charity, particularly young people, and she was the brainchild behind developing the youth section within the charity called ‘Voice’.

“This cheque is a very large amount of money for The Brittle Bone Society. We are very grateful to receive it. I would like to assure everybody that the monies will be well used in providing equipment such as powered wheelchairs which will help people like Meesha who have OI.”

Dr Mark Fielder, Reader in Medical Biology at Kingston University, spoke of his gratitude and also of Meesha’s strength and courage. “Meesha was a very special part of our lives at Kingston University. She changed our lives in very many ways. Meesha was an inspirational person who came from the heart. Her MSc work has led us to a whole new area of work that we are developing at the University. She was loving, kind, thoughtful, and always put others first. Thank you very much for the donation. We will use it wisely.”

Finally, the Ambassador for Great Ormond Street Charities, Graham Storey, offered his thoughts: “The money that has been donated today will go towards a £50m rebuild for the Hospital which is required to supply the service it does. In tribute to Meesha, I would like to thank BAPS Charities for the funds received for the Great Ormond Street Hospital.”

To learn more about the Brittle Bone Society, please visit www.brittlebone.org.

To learn more about Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, please visit www.gosh.nhs.uk.

To learn more about Kingston University, please visit www.kingston.ac.uk.

Disclaimer: BAPS Charities is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

BAPS Charities, UK organised a seminar on Sunday 13 February 2011 at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London to raise awareness about stroke and high blood pressure among the elderly.

The session was led by Dr Babalal Depala, an Associate Specialist in Elderly Medicine and Stroke at Newham General Hospital, London. Dr Depala was supported by Mr Alpesh Prajapati, a physiotherapist.

The session began with information about the causes and risk factors for the development of a stroke. This was followed by details of hospital treatment for stroke patients – the hospital in-patient team and the stroke pathway of care. Helpful ideas about how a stroke can be prevented were also discussed.

Mr Prajapati talked about post-stroke rehabilitation and offered a practical demonstration of the appropriate exercises that can be performed at home in order to aid the process.

An open forum of questions and answers concluded the seminar, which all attendees found very useful. 

The BAPS Charities Annual Challenge for 2011 was launched on the evening of Saturday 12 February 2011 at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, London (popularly known as the ‘Neasden Temple’). The official partner for BAPS Charities this year is Age UK (formed by the combining of Age Concern and Help the Aged), one of the country’s leading charities working for the elderly. The Challenge will see participants run, jog or walk 10 kilometres, and will take place on 10 April in London and 17 April in other cities across the UK. For the more adventurous, there will also be the ‘30k Bike Challenge’ taking place in London on 10 April.

The event will bring together people from a variety of ages and backgrounds as well as join local communities from across the country to support the various good causes of BAPS Charities, including Age UK which helps over 5 million people in the UK each year. The nationwide event will also provide many local charities with essential funds to continue their good work.

This year’s Challenge continues to build on 17 years of sponsored events being organised by BAPS. Previous national partners have included Barnardo’s, The Anthony Nolan Trust, Diabetes UK, The British Heart Foundation, and Breast Cancer Care. Paul Farthing, Fundraising Director of Age UK, joined BAPS Charities at the Mandir in London for the official launch. In his address to the assembly, Paul offered his gratitude to BAPS Charities on partnering with Age UK, saying: “Age UK is very honoured and privileged to be a partner with BAPS Charities UK.”

BAPS Charities volunteer Kamlesh Patel added, “We are very pleased to be working with Age UK. The elderly are such a valuable part of our society but are sadly so often forgotten and neglected. We hope that as many people as possible can join us in supporting this worthy cause and participate in what promises to be a wonderful, fun-filled event.”

The event brought together volunteers of BAPS Charities – doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists, nurses and healthcare students – in conjunction with the Department of Lipidology at The Royal Free Hospital. It forms part of an ongoing collaboration between BAPS Charities, The Royal Free Hospital and Heart UK, the nation’s ‘cholesterol charity’. The session also came just before the beginning of February’s National Heart Month organised by the British Heart Foundation.

The screening was open to all individuals aged between 30 and 60 years who did not have a known diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes or cardiovascular disease. All attendees had their height, weight, blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol assessed, with lifestyle factors such as smoking status and alcohol consumption also being addressed. These results were used to counsel attendees about their lifestyle and to alert them and their GP about any abnormal results. Each assessment lasted about 45 minutes.

A total of 30 people were screened in this latest session with participants commenting that they found the event very informative and helpful.

To learn more about National Heart Month and supporting the British Heart Foundation, please click on the respective links.

Disclaimer: BAPS Charities is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Drawing on the successes of 2010, the aim of the event was to further raise awareness of the importance of donating blood. Donors from Asian communities have been in short supply and it was hoped that donations received on this day would address this need. The event was open to all local residents.

Despite the blustery weather, donors arrived throughout day – some with appointments, others just dropping in. Volunteers from BAPS Charities offered a warm and professional welcome and guided donors throughout the blood-giving process to ensure maximum comfort.  With a range of generous donors from across the town, the event was a resounding success.  

Among the visitors were The Mayor and Consort, Councillor Lora Lawman and Councillor Graham Lawman. Sharing her thoughts on the event, The Mayor said, “It was lovely to see the beautiful new premises, which seem very suitable for offering community events such as these. It was great to see so many young people coming forward to donate blood as they did today. As a regular donor myself for the past 25 years, I have come to appreciate the importance of involving the younger generation to forming such habits of regular donation. BAPS Charities are doing some excellent work here and I look forward to coming again.’

Pam Prescott, spokesperson from the National Blood Service, offered her thanks in saying, “We are very grateful to members of the BAPSSwaminarayanTemple in Wellingborough for the work they have done to encourage blood donation amongst the Hindu community. It was wonderful to see so many new blood donors at previous sessions, most of those from minority ethnic backgrounds. With these donors only representing three per cent of the blood donor population, it really does highlight the importance of their support and encourages others to follow their example.”

The recently completed Mandir (Hindu temple) in Wellingborough hopes to continue its outreach initiatives to help provide the local community with similar much-needed services. The blood donation session held at the Mandir is the first in a series of planned health awareness days for 2011.

Dr Hiten Patel, lead volunteer for BAPS Charities in Wellingborough, added: “For the second year running, the response has been excellent from the local community with many new donors coming forward. Giving blood is something money cannot buy and it is a chance to be someone’s hero and save multiple lives. There can be no greater gift than that.” 

To learn more about giving blood, please visit the National Blood Service website here.

The event was organised by BAPS volunteers – doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists, nurses and healthcare students – in conjunction with the Department of Lipidology at The Royal Free Hospital.

The screening was open to anyone who did not have a known diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes or cardiovascular disease. All attendees had their height, weight, blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol assessed, with lifestyle factors such as smoking status and alcohol consumption also being addressed. These results were then used to counsel attendees about their lifestyle and to alert them and their GP about any abnormal results. Each assessment lasted about 45 minutes.

Dr Mayank Shah, senior BAPS Charities volunteer, commented: “It’s so important to pick up these tell-tale signs early. It really can make the difference between a wholesome life and a premature tragedy.” He further added, “The response from all those who have attended over the last year has been very positive indeed, which is just so encouraging for all us volunteers to keep on making that crucial difference.”

A total of 35 people were screened in this latest session with participants all sharing that they found the event very informative and helpful.

The previous series of health awareness and screening sessions coincided with National Cholesterol Week.

To learn more about National Sewa Day, please click here.

Disclaimer: BAPS Charities is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The event was a continuation of the support BAPS Charities has provided to Barnardo’s over the year. Earlier, in April, they raised £25,000 for Barnardo’s when 3,500 runners and walkers from around the country took the BAPS Charities 10k Challenge. The money raised will go towards helping disadvantaged children with learning disabilities and other worthy causes.

The Cycle Challenge was open to everyone over the age of 14, with a £20 registration fee covering both bike and helmet hire as well.

Divya Patel, 28, from Southend-on-Sea, shared: “It was a fantastic day out – fun, healthy, and extremely gratifying with the knowledge that we were helping children and young people less fortunate than us.”

Barnardo’s Director of Fundraising, Liz Cox, said: “Barnardo’s is delighted and proud to be working with BAPS Charities once again and their support is invaluable in helping the charity continue its work with children, young people and their families through its projects in communities across the UK.”

BAPS Charities volunteer Kamlesh Patel added, “BAPS Charities shares Barnardo’s vision of believing in children and this is just a great way of helping ensure that our country’s children get all the opportunities they deserve – especially the very needy ones.”

For photos from the event please click here

Children’s charity Barnardo’s has been nominated as this year’s official partner and main beneficiary of the BAPS Charities 30 Mile Bike Challenge.  This year’s sponsored bike ride will take place in Milton Keynes, with the event beginning at the picturesque setting of Willen Lake on Sunday 15 August 2010.

BAPS Charities is the social services arm of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, one of the largest and most active Hindu organisations among the Indian diaspora in the UK. Recognised internationally for its humanitarian services, the work has year after year raised substantial amounts of money for charities in the UK. In April, they raised £25,000 for Barnardo’s when 3,500 runners and walkers from around the country took the BAPS Charities 10k Challenge.

Participants in the 2010 Bike Ride will cycle through the red ways system of Milton Keynes and is the perfect summer event for fans of fitness and outdoor sports who like an adventure.  

The challenge is open to everyone over the age of 14, and the £20 registration fee includes bike and helmet hire.

Barnardo’s Director of Fundraising, Liz Cox, said: “The event is a fantastic opportunity for people to get active as well as having fun whilst raising vital funds for disadvantaged children and young people.

“Barnardo’s is delighted and proud to be working with BAPS Charities once again and their support is invaluable in helping the charity continue its work with children, young people and their families through its projects in communities across the UK”.

BAPS Charities volunteer Kamlesh Patel added, “BAPS Charities shares Barnardo’s vision of believing in children and this is just a great way of helping ensure that our country’s children get all the opportunities they deserve – especially the very needy ones.”

The money had been raised over two Sundays in April when over 3,500 people at 15 BAPS centres around the UK took the BAPS Charities 10k Challenge. The participants had walked, jogged or ran 10 kilometres to raise funds for children and various other worthy causes.

In his address during the special cheque presentation ceremony at the Mandir, Mr Barnett expressed his gratitude for “the wonderful generosity and support” of BAPS Charities and remarked how he was “full of inspiring impressions of so much that happens here.” In particular, he noted how much both Barnardo’s and BAPS owe to their dedicated volunteer force, and that “we share a common vision; we believe in children.”

Mr Barnett went on to explain that the money raised by BAPS Charities would go towards helping support children with severe learning and educational difficulties. He said: “What you have done for us this year, through the 10k Challenge, is to enable us in this next 12 months to support and work with 139 disabled children that we would not otherwise been able to help, and I am really grateful to you all.”

Kamlesh Patel, lead volunteer for BAPS Charities, remarked: “It’s so gratifying and humbling to know that we have been able to help so many needy children who can go on to lead fuller, more meaningful lives.”

For a full report and photos of the BAPS Charities 10k Challenge, please click here.

To lean more about  Barnardo’s work for disadvantaged children, visit their website here.

Disclaimer: BAPS Charities, UK is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.