Help Medical Yatra heal the world

By Kelli Comer

Medical Yatra, meaning “medical journey” in Sanskrit, is a non-profit organization under the Association of Indian Physicians of Northern Ohio (AIPNO). Medical Yatra started in 2001 as a disaster relief health mission after an earthquake in India and has now grown to provide comprehensive medical care to the needy and underserved rural population in Indian villages.

You’re invited to show your support for Medical Yatra’s trip to India in January 2024 with an unforgettable evening of dinner, music, a parade and Indian dancing at the annual New Vision, New Life fundraiser. Join in the fun and fundraising on Sunday, October 29 from 5-9 p.m. at the Laurel School auditorium, located at 1 Lyman Circle in Shaker Heights. Tickets are $50 each or $360 for a table of eight. Proceeds benefit Medical Yatra’s annual humanitarian mission to aid hundreds of villagers in medical need.

A group of volunteers consisting of doctors from multiple specialties travels to India each year to identify deprived villages and provide free services for residents in need, including primary care, pediatrics, dentistry, orthopedics, geriatrics and yoga therapy. The primary focuses of the trip are diagnosing chronic diseases, education, cancer screening and providing continued care by collaborating with the local community hospitals and primary health centers.

The Medical Yatra team is implementing special projects at the 2024 trip such as cervical cancer screening, breast cancer screening and HPV testing. Also new in 2024 is a donation of AI-powered smart glasses for visually challenged users, enabling them to lead independent lives. Medical Yatra’s goal is to provide the smart glasses to 1,000 blind children in India.

For more details and to RSVP for the fundraiser, call 440-263-7571 or email medicalyatra2024@gmail.com. For more information on Medical Yatra and AIPNO, visit AIPNO.org.