| | vickey.lalwani@mid-day.com | | | Shekhar Suman | Actor Shekhar Suman is gearing up to open a cardiac hospital in Patna, in memory of his deceased son Aayush, who died of a heart ailment when he was nine. The hospital will be named Aayush Heart Hospital.
Talking to hitList from his plush apartment in Oberoi Sky Garden, behind Lokhandwala Complex, (he moved in recently), Suman said that he felt it was time he did something for society.
"Roles will keep happening in films and television. It's time to reflect — what can I give back to the people who have given me their love and affection?" Why Patna?
Suman explained, "I chose Patna because Ayush was born there. Plus, it's my native town. And it doesn't have a hospital with good facilities for the treatment of heart ailments."
The idea to set up a heart hospital was in Suman's mind for a few years, but gained ground only recently.
Last week, Suman officiated in a vaccination campaign for diseases including tuberculosis, diphtheria, measles and polio, and also visited the Mahavir Cancer Sansthan in Patna, with his mother, father (who was the director-general of health services in Bihar) and a few close relatives. Not alone
"I have received support from many doctors. I have spoken to the Governor, and also bounced it off Laloo Prasad Yadav, when I was travelling with him recently.
With my father's expertise and goodwill in the medical industry, I hope to get this right. I have begun the process of mobilising the whole thing and expect that funds will start flowing in soon. I want this hospital to be one of the best – something that everyone will be proud of."
Suman says that he will definitely request people from the film fraternity to come forward and help.
"We have been gifted with so much. Somewhere, we tend to forget that we must repay the people. It's time to mobilise the energy within our fraternity," he pointed out. vickey.lalwani@mid-day.com |
| Shekhar's new home
Suman found his former residence (Godavari building, Andheri) pretty small, and hence shifted.
"Sometimes, we have many guests – my parents, in-laws, my sisters from the US. I put almost my everything into this. I always dreamt of having a grand, spacious house. Now, it has been realised. I pray that I will realise my heart hospital dream too. After my hospital is set up, nobody will go out of Bihar for heart treatment… touch wood."
Remembering Aayush
Aayush was born with a heart ailment — left ventricular endomyocardio fibrosis.
"I tried every treatment under the sun. We took him to the best doctors all around the country, but nothing worked. We even tried alternative therapies," says a teary Suman.
While Aayush studied in Utpal Sanghvi School, Suman's younger son, Adhyayan, started off in Utpal, but later went off to Millfield Public School, in London.
"When Aayush passed away, Adhyayan didn't know what had happened, he just kept crying. Though he was very young when the tragedy struck, Adhyayan has some vivid memories of his bhaiyya." | |
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