Pain is eased by ward cash

Oct 24 2005 By Tony Deeley, Birmingham Mail

MEMBERS of a Hindu charity donated £450 to a Dudley hospital's children's ward in memory of three workers who tragically died while on an aid mission in India.

Jasdeep Sahota, aged 23, of Boundary Way, Penn, Wolverhampton; 32-year-old Vinderjit Rai, of Birches Barn Road, Pennfields, Wolverhampton and Gurmail Sood, aged 54, of Terry Street, Kates Hill, Dudley, died in a car crash in the Punjab in March.

They had been in India carrying out aid work for the Baba Balak Nath Ji's Mission along with Surjit Jassa Singh, who was the only survivor of the crash, in which their car was in collision with a bus.

The Mission sponsors families in over 13 villages in the Punjab and gives regular annual assistance to more than ten schools, providing uniforms, books and desks among many other pieces of equipment.

Family members of the victims and supporters of the Mission's new foundation - Baba Ji's Jassa Bawa Gurmail Foundation 2005 --presented the £450 cheque to Russells Hall Hospital.

The money will be used to help provide accommodation for parents of sick children on the children's ward.

Pam Smith, matron for children's services for the Dudley Group of Hospital's NHS Trust, said: "Having parents around on the ward often makes a huge difference to the health of children, helping them to be positive and get better sooner. The money will be of great help to us and is gratefully received.".

Kamaljit Duggal, a member of the Foundation, which plans to offer various donations to hospitals across the West Midlands, said: "Although the pain of the loss of these three wonderful people can never be replaced, it gives comfort to know that we are providing help to others.

"They were members of the mission from a young age, since it's formation in 1988. It is a tribute to them to carry on their good work by providing help where we can."