CHICAGO: Samvedana means sensitivity and Samvedana Foundation, US which was established five years ago has been consistently displaying 'samvedana' to human sufferings through setting up projects that help in alleviating these sufferings.Its first project was the establishment of the state of art Burn Care center at LG Hospital in Ahmedabad in 2005 and for three years it has rendered services to the citizens of Ahmedabad and surrounding areas. Its second project- Eye Care for Diabetes- has been doing still better and this has emboldened the management to leap-frog to yet another bigger and different type of program.

Dr Umang Patel, the Foundation president, said that it plans joining hands with Kadi Sarva Viswavidyala that is setting up the first of its type full fledged nursing college in Gandhinagar. The college is the off-shoot of a hefty donation - Rs1.75 crores- proffered by Chicago business magnate, Mafat Patel last year in memory of his wife Chanchalben.

The Foundation, Dr Umang Patel, told India Post, plans establishing a state -of -art library at the nursing college which will house text books, nursing magazines, scientific papers related to the nursing education. "Our idea this time is to help creating a facility that will empower woman to come up in life thru professional training and education.

The Foundation earlier sought to help victims of burns and the patients unwittingly facing danger of losing their eye sight through crippling diabetes. This time we rather try creating a skilled work force in the medical field that would not only help the patients but also empower women through education.

The idea seems more progressive, especially in the context that there is a global shortage of trained nurses, "he said.The initial expense could be around $50,000 but there would be a continual maintenance charge. "We want to meet it and we have organized a fund raiser next month- August 2- at Waterford Banquet hall with a musical entertainment program with singers from India. We hope to raise sizeable funds for our projects.

With regard to its Eye Care for Diabetes project, Dr Umang Patel pointed out that the response it has been generating is stupendous. "In the very first year that is in 2007, with the help of four hospitals and one eye camp, we had examined and treated close to 20,000 patients while in the first six months of the current year the figure has already exceeded to 22,000 patients," he said.

The Eye Care for Diabetes program offers not only a preventive check up but also effects laser surgery wherever it is necessary. It refers patients to the participating hospitals for further and continual treatment, he said. "It makes us happy that this way we have helped in curtailing blindness which otherwise could be the side effect of diabetes," he said.