The Hope Charitable Trust was founded by Sanjay Sailendra in Dec 2004.

It consists of a Sunday clinic which is run by Sanjay and other volunteers on their day off. The clinic offers treatment to villagers in remote parts of Bihar; one of the poorest and least developed states of India. Most of the patients come from families that earn less than 1000 Indian rupees a month. This is about 13 pounds or $21.
The Trust was founded with the hope to provide aid to those disabled by polio. Most of the funds are still used for this purpose. Because of the lack of medical facilities in the villages, the trust now employs a homeopathic doctor and a dispenser that join the Sunday clinic and offer general health care. Physiotherapy is also offered to those disabled by a stroke or menengitis and to children with cerebral palsy.

The Trust rents a workshop where walking aids are custom built by a trust employee. They also rent an office where paperwork, medicines and supplies are stored.
The total costs for salaries (doctor, dispenser and workshop employee), rent, travel, medicine and materials is approximately 150 pounds per month.

About polio

Polio is a waterbourne viral infection that affects the spinal cord thereby causing paralysis of the limbs. It mostly affects the legs and because of the subsequent lack of movement the joints get stiff or build up deformities. If both legs are affected the patient has no other way to move than to crawl on the ground. With one affected leg the patient can, depending on the severity of the paralysis, walk with hand support or jump on one leg with the help of a stick. This leads to further deformities in the body from unbalanced strain on the anatomy. As only the ability to use the muscles is affected and not the sensitivity, the patients feel pain in the affected limbs.

About the work

The first step is for Sanjay to meet the patient and assess their condition. If they are younger than 20 and with up to 40% extension of their leg they will be invited back to be treated.
Stiffness and deformation of the joints are corrected with the help of plaster. The leg is put in plaster and once a week the plaster is opened and the leg is extended slowly towards its normal position. A small piece of wood is then wedged in to the cut in the plaster to maintain the leg in its new position. It takes 4-10 weeks to achieve a straightened leg.

After straightening the joints the patients receive callipers and crutches which are produced in the Trusts workshop. They return regularly to receive physiotherapy treatment and instructions for home exercises.
With the callipers and crutches the patients have to learn how to walk again with both legs. Using the affected legs again is the best training to make the muscles stronger. In many cases it is then possible for the patient to walk without calicalliperser 6 months.

Patients are charged a small fee for each stage of the treatment. This covers a percentage of the cost of the materials used. Sanjays work is offered freely. It is felt that by participating in the cost the patients and their families are encouraged to value the treatment and see it through to the end.

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