Please help someone fill my shoes

I first learned about Developing Indigenous Resources (DIR) during the early years of my medical residency at a public hospital in Contra Costa, California. Dr. Fredrick Shaw (Founder & CEO) was kind enough to meet with me, and I quickly knew that DIR’s focus on public health, education and social change would fit my passions and interests. Janta Colony, a slum on the outskirts of Chandigarh (India) seemed an obvious place to share my medical skills and knowledge with people who had little access to these necessities, while also learning from a master of international public health whose program of Health Promotion shows impressive results.

For the next three years, I saved my money and planned that soon after completing my residency, I would volunteer in Janta Colony for several months – long enough to make a real contribution.

In November 2013, as a recently-minted physician, I was finally on a plane and planning how to make the most of my first visit to London in the few hours between connecting flights. Midway over the Atlantic Ocean, I found myself to be the sole doctor on board who could respond to a medical emergency. The situation was complicated by this fact: I was the passenger having a seizure.

Shortly after landing, I was whisked to the Emergency Room at a hospital near Heathrow Airport and sent for a CT scan. Physicians know what such scans reveal: seeing a tumor on the left side of my brain was a life-changing event that quickly sent me back over the pond to pursue diagnosis and treatment.

Three months later, I’ve been through the surgery and am reaching the end of the initial chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Though brain cancer is a tough diagnosis to weather in the short term, I’ve never had the tendency to sit around for long. My desire to continue working with DIR in another form began to take shape even while I was recovering in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit.

Just as friends were expressing their desire to help in any way I needed, I learned (through another friend!) about an incredible project that connects art and charitable giving. As I am lucky enough to live in a country where my health needs are taken care of, and am able to manage financially, I have decided to partner with The Doffie Project to channel the kindness and generosity of friends towards supporting DIR, hopefully making up for the fact that I’m not there in person.

 

Here’s how it works.

In establishing the Bradley Randles Fund to Make Health Possible, I hope to raise the funds DIR needs to hire a local physician or public health worker to train its Health Promoters. As this website shows, it is these individuals who are transforming lives in Janta Colony.

There are two ways to participate in the Fund:

• Art lovers can browse the works available for sale through the “Gallery” link on The Doffie Project. For each sale, 80% of the profits will be donated to DIR. Buyers who wish can make a “dual donation”, by gifting the artwork purchased to brighten up one of the facilities that has been so vital to my care.
• Alternatively, financial contributions can be made directly to DIR using the PayPal link on this page or sending a cheque to the California office.

My initial aim is to raise $12,000, the estimated annual salary of a suitable health professional in India. DIR has kindly agreed that any excess will be earmarked for additional health professionals as the program expands into new areas of great need. In addition, DIR will leverage contributions by my personal and professional networks by launching parallel events and campaigns.

Throughout medical training, I learned that good health is the end-result of complex and amazing consequences of many complicated pieces. The Bradley Randles Fund to Make Health Possible reflects my deep desire to be part of changing the future for people who live in great need. I’m grateful for the terrific support I’ve had from family, friends and colleagues during these past months – and thank you in advance for participating in the future!

I would be happy to be in contact with anyone interested to learn more about the Fund, DIR, the Doffie Project or my own experiences.

Yours truly,

Bradley Randles, MD, MPH
Bradley.randles@dir-help.org

See Randles Doffie event postcard (PDF-1Mb)