Indeed, the power of one individual to make a difference is huge, even when it may appear small in the beginning.
At least this is the case with Dr. Subodh Kumar Singh who overcame all of the obstacles in his childhood and later became a doctor and a founder of his own hospital.
This philanthropic surgeon is praised for the life-saving surgeries he’s performed on kids and changed their lives. More than thousands of kids in India with cleft palate and cleft lip were operated on by this doctor free of charge.
The Inspiring Story of Dr. Subodh Kumar Singh
Singh lost his dad at the age of 13 and his family was found in a difficult financial situation.
After they lost their dad, Singh’s older brothers gave up their education so that they can work and support the rest of the family.
Singh was the youngest of four kids and was there for his brothers in any way possible, but mostly by selling handmade soaps, candles, and goggles on the streets and in local shops.
Since they sacrificed their dreams, his brothers wanted to make sure their youngest brother doesn’t have to do the same so they ensured he stays in school and gets educated.
When the time came, they supported him financially as he went for a medical degree. As a young medical student, Singh had to work and help out in the family, like taking care of their mom who was often ill.
He finished his studies in general surgery and specialized in plastic surgery. He set up a small hospital in his dad’s memory and named it GS Memorial Hospital.
He Started Helping Babies Born with a Cleft Lip
In his small hospital, Singh started offering free medical camps one week every year on the anniversary of his dad’s death. He helped families who had babies with cleft lip.
He explains that with every child with a cleft lip, he visualized himself as a kid who lost his dad at the age of 13. His mom and dad taught him to help the poor and live an ethical life.
He believes God made him a plastic surgeon and not a businessman so that he can serve a divine purpose. His strength and resilience helped him be more understanding of people struggling daily.
His hardships, the doctor emphasizes, taught him how to perceive emotions and relate with them.
The Collaboration with Smile Train- The Largest Charitable Organization for Cleft Palate Surgery
Smile Train, the biggest charitable organization for surgeries of cleft palate globally, learned about Dr. Singh’s free surgeries and as of 2004, he’s part of their project.
With their support, his hospital has done more than 2500 surgeries by the end of 2005. As of 2008, the hospital did more than 4000 free surgeries.
Dr. Singh is a global trainer and speaker for the organization and his hospital is a center for surgeons from all over the world to train in these surgeries.
He also developed an outreach program that tracks kids who’ve been treated for cleft palate so that they keep helping their families monitor their health and nutrition.
Thanks to his selfless efforts, he’s returned the smiles of 37000 kids and inspired the creation of an Academy Award-winning documentary for the life of a young girl Pinki, one of the thousand kids this doctor has treated.
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