Celebrating the life of Dr Sharad Pendsey ‘the doctor who dreamed’

For several years Aireborough Rotary has sponsored two girls in India, Purvi Nagdive, aged nine and Aradhya Patel, 11, through the charity the Pendsey or Dream Trust.

This charity was conceived when Dr Sharad Pendsey lost two young diabetic girls he was treating. The father of one of these girls, despite having heard what would happen if treatment ceased, had quite intentionally stopped giving her insulin as he could not afford it any longer. In Dr Pendsey’s words ‘the logic of poverty had overpowered the logic of life’.

A spokesperson for Aireborough Rotary said: "Discrimination takes place in appalling ways. With no medical insurance available parents have to buy insulin and syringes and the charity now makes the lives, particularly of female diabetic children, more bearable and meaningful. To make these children self reliant the Trust believes that education is the key to eradicate poverty and gives educational scholarships to these underprivileged diabetic children. They visit the Trust every three months to collect their insulin and syringes and have been provided with bicycles to enable them to go to schools situated some way from their villages. Sponsors are encouraged to send presents, worth a fixed sum, for birthdays at first through the post but more recently via Amazon which is far more reliable and speedy.

"Lucy Laycock founded the Pendsey Trust after making a radio documentary about the children with type one diabetes in the developing world after visiting Dr Pendsey in Nagpur.

"Sadly Dr Pendsey died recently and on what would have been his 70th birthday Aireborough members were asked to raise a glass in his memory. His son is now carrying on his invaluable work."