JOIN USCreating awareness through action
A good cause always beckons one and all. Same was the case with the special evening that was organised at the Chancery Pavillion recently by the Medikeri ENT Centre,
Basavanagudi.
Seeking the support of donors for delivering the gift of hearing through a cochlear implant to hearing impaired children, the fundraising event also saw a mesmerising performance by popular contemporary dancer Madhu Natraj and her team of dancers from the Natya Stem Dance Kampini. The event started over an hour late thanks to the guests not arriving on time.
However, once the little kids, who had received a cochlear implant from Dr Shankar Medikeri, took the stage with their innocent yet heart-warming dance performance, the audience was simply touched.
Prior to the performance, Dr Shankar Medikeri, Cochlear Implant Surgeon, gave a small talk on the process of cochlear implant and the importance of raising awareness about the same. |
An audio-visual presentation was played as well. Since the treatment is more on the expensive side, Dr Medikeri has been working hard towards raising funds for the cause. Said Madhu Natraj, who had guided these little kids for their first performance, “It’s their first steps in the dance world. This piece, called Shivastuti, speaks of Shiva as the one who manifests all sensory perceptions.”
Post this wonderful effort by the children, Madhu and her team presented some beautiful dances for the guests. The first piece was a celebration of light. “All philosophies and cultures speak about this,” explained Madhu.
The second piece was inspired by the different martial arts of India. With catchy music by Amit Heri, real weapons were used for this performance and had the audience at the edge of their seats. The third piece was a scintillating Tarana, which had the dancers performing kathak. With a wonderful jugalbandi and some extremely beautiful footwork, the dancers were at their best as they presented a great show for one and all. As the dancers and the children along with the doctors of Medikeri ENT Centre were honoured, Madhu Natraj said, “It’s indeed an honour to be a part of this show. We are very happy we could contribute to the cause in this way.”
“This fundraising event is one of its kinds,” Dr Medikeri told Metrolife. “I have been in the industry for 27 years and have been doing cochlear implant for the past seven years. We have done 113 implants so far,” he explained. “In Karnataka, we have one lakh children who are profoundly deaf and have been able to operate only around 200 children so far. So there is a vast difference between what is required and what has been accomplished.”
Stressing on the importance of early identification and treatment, he said, “Children should be taken for a hearing screening. Unfortunately, it’s not available in all places. In our hospital, we do a free hearing screening for children up to six months of age.”
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