Covid-19 relief equipment for India

This is not a fund raiser for me, as an individual. Neither is it a fundraiser for a family or community. While the trigger point was a disaster that struck my family, but my attempt here is to help prevent many other families from having to go through the same ordeal.

This fund-raiser is for man-kind suffering from the lack of medical facilities in the wake of COVID-19. Scientists are predicting that the unique COVID variant in India has a chance to spread to other parts of the world.

While our prime focus is vulnerable population of India, but we eventually hope to help those in need, without any borders!

What caused me to start this fund raiser?

Thursday, April 29, I woke up to terrible news from my family. My grandfather had started to show signs of COVID and his oxygen levels had started to drop.
It was next to impossible to get any help. No doctors were available. No hospitals were taking our calls. All emergency centers were full.
We were told not to come to emergency because we would be turned away.
We managed to get a used oxygen cylinder and we hooked him up. This gave my mom and my brother 2 hours to get out and find another cylinder.
While the family was out begging for spare oxygen, my grandmother watched in horror the life from her husband getting sucked out, as the oxygen tank started to get empty.
By the time my brother managed to find an oxygen tank, my grandfather had given up on the battle. It was too late!

Three days, after losing her father, my mother lost her cousin. Same story. And as the days passed, every day I was waking up to someone I knew.. passed away.

This is not just me. Like one of my friends said , everyone in India has lost someone they loved. It's a crisis! A humanitarian crisis.

You can tell how bad it is when you have to wait in line at the cremation ground.
This experience will haunt me and my family for the rest of our lives , but we are going to do what it takes to keep people safe. And not just local communities, not just India, but wherever this calamity may turn next.

Me and my husband , along with a punch of encouragement from friends, family and the charity organizations in India, have started this go fund me page to collect funds that will ship oxygen concentrators and other related medical supplies to India. Hope we can scale, and if we can, we will go beyond borders, wherever the need be.

What are the funds used for ?
To purchase and ship oxygen concentrators and other necessary supplies (such as oximeters, canula, portable beds, pedestal fans, canopies, bedding etc.) We will purchase and ship items from where it is most efficient and quick.

How much does it cost ?
A 5ml/min continuous o2 concentrator costs around $850. An oximeter costs $7. And rest of the supplies are anywhere in between.

While a concentrator may help only one person at a time, but it can be used for other patients as well.

We are constantly speaking to multiple medical supply stores to seek the least cost and lowest shipping.

How much are the shipping costs ?
An o2 concentrator weighs around 55 lbs . Dimensions are 29 X 15 X 15. It costs around $400 to ship.

We are also working with a NGO organization who may be able to bulk ship for free.

Where are we sending the O2 concentrators and other supplies ?
University of Delhi, COVID-19 Care Center, New Delhi India. (pictures to follow)

How do I know my money is being utilized for the purpose?

Keep an eye on this page. We will constantly post pictures of items that are getting shipped, and their use in India.

Are you helping as well?

Glad you asked! Yes. As of this post (May 6th, 2021) my husband and I have shipped one consignment including a concentrator, canula and other necessary supplies. And we won't stop there.

However, we realize the power of many, and are hoping this effort can influence you and others to donate as well.

No donation is too small. Every contribution has the potential to save someone's life!

Is locally anybody helping you in the United States?

Besides friends, family, colleagues and their extended contacts who continue to contribute, one of our good friends Ambarish Sundararajan is helping coordinate the efforts on a day-day basis from Long Island, New York.