A father is raising funds to take his 20-year-old son back to India for further medical treatment and care he needs after an accident.
Manjot Singh’s family is raising funds to take him back to India from Australia as the doctors have told them to arrange his care.
“As per the surgeons, Manjot’s spinal cord and neck collarbone have multiple fractures, after which, his body is partially (lower body) paralysed, and his recovery is very slow. As a consequence, he may not be able to live a normal life(sic),” reads a fund-raising appeal on Facebook.
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Manjot Singh, who came to Australia from Punjab two years ago with dreams to accomplish his higher education in light of a bright future, had an accident in December last year.
On 26th December 2020, he went to Adelaide from Melbourne with his friends, where he had an accident in a swimming pool and sustained severe neck and spinal cord injuries.
Manjot is now admitted to Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre, Adelaide, for the last seven months.
According to the family, “The doctors and surgeons are unable to provide him with any further medical treatment, as Manjot is an international student. Besides that, doctors told me to arrange care for Manjot on my own. Since the essentials and daily expenses are very high to live in Australia, I have no option but to take him back to India as the only resort.”
Manjot’s father says he has spoken with many surgeons in India for his treatment.
“Every doctor said that his medical treatment would cost around 3 to 4 lakhs (Indian rupees) per month. This is a long-term treatment plan, which it will take around one year for recovery. I am not financially fit to support his medical expenses,” wrote Mr Gursharan Singh Cheema.
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“Moreover, I have spoken with an Airline in regards to Manjot’s flight arrangement. The airline staff advised me that I have to take Manjot in business class as “he is on a wheelchair”, and for which it will cost more than $6,000 (AUD) for his ticket. I own a small workshop in India, which is now in financial loss because I am here with my son in Australia, and I have no one else in India to look after my workshop in my absence. (sic)”
“According to the physiotherapist and occupational therapist, Manjot also requires some modifications in the house to support his independence to perform daily living activities. Modifications in the vehicle for transportation and some special arrangements like electric bed, power wheelchair, etc., are needed, which are very costly. I cannot bear these expenses on my own. (sic)”
The family aims to raise AUD 55,000, and over 500 people donated more than AUD27,000 in less than 24 hours. Here is the link to the Facebook fundraiser.
NRI Affairs News Desk
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