Purva Medical Trust

‘Strokes occur only in older adults’ is a myth. Anybody can get a Stroke – adults, teenagers, infants, unborn babies etc irrespective of their age. In children the danger of stroke is the highest in the initial year of birth and during the period just before birth to right after birth. A fairly unknown ailment where the incidence rate is about 8 per 1, 00,000 children every year is reported. Only 31% children with ischemic stroke, regain normal functions while 17% have persistent cognitive defects and long term disability. With the arrival of specialized stroke units, advanced treatments and increased awareness, stroke care for adults has seen a revolution over the last decade. However, paediatric stroke which is less frequent than adult stroke has not experienced similar improvements.

Parents are at loss to understand as to how and why their child had a stroke. The scarcity of information regarding this condition and lack of rehabilitation facilities for the stroke affected children got me thinking. This was a subject I felt strongly about, that we require more organisations to actively deal with this condition. In the year 2011, I started Purva Medical Foundation, an NGO to provide information, treat and rehabilitate children who have suffered from paediatric stroke, and to educate parents about it. Knowledge about what has occurred, and what to anticipate, could empower parents to make sure that the immediate and long-term needs of their child can be met. Purva Medical Foundation is dedicated to gathering more knowledge about paediatric strokes especially regarding aetiology, outcomes and possible treatments to eventually reduce morbidity, mortality and recurrence. It was a fulfilling and heartfelt experience for me to be able to start something that leads the way in paediatric care, treatment and rehabilitation.