01 July 2011
Pooja Kulkarni
As the nation celebrates Doctor’s Day today, PT talks to city celebs about the one doctor who made a difference to their lives
THANK YOU, DOC: Doctors have played life-changing roles in our lives Former Pantaloons Femina Miss India finalist, model Priyanka Shah cannot agree more. She says, "After being badly bruised with a deep cut on the knee when I fell off the Parvati hill, the only person I could think of was physician Dr Dilip Devdhar. As he knows the complete health history of my family, we trust his diagnosis. But finding it difficult to name just one doctor who made a difference in her life, Shah adds, "Dentists Dr Anand Sabane, Dr Patkar and Dr Sunil Bholabhai too have played a major part in giving me smile for which I had even received the Best Smile title.
A twisted ankle led well-known Kathak and Odissi dancer Yogini Gandhi to seek orthopaedic treatment. She shares, "Though fortunately, I haven’t had to frequent a doctor in my life, this one accident made me visit Dr Rajiv Sharangpani who did wonders for me. During the trekking expedition to Kailash Mansarovar, I somehow managed to twist the ankle of my right knee. It was paining so badly that I thought I will have to give up on dancing for a few months. But because of Dr Sharangpani’s expertise in the subject and exercises, I was able to recover soon.
Model Viraf Patel still remembers the sweet candy that pediatrician Dr Suresh Baliga offered him during his childhood visits to the doctor. Getting nostalgic, he says, "Dr Baliga was like our family mentor. Be it cough, cold or minor stomach upsets, all children in our family went only to him. I remember his two patent sentences there is nothing wrong with you and here’s your candy for today.”
Destined to share a nuptial bond, the one doctor who made all the difference to her life was her husband Dr Rajiv, says educationist Dr Vidya Yeravdekar. Talking about their relationship, she says, "On this day I would like to say, that I owe a lot of what I am as a person, to Rajiv. We studied medicine together. Virtues like hard work, sincerity and punctuality are something that I learnt from him.”
One right step by the doctor can prove to be life-saving. And that is what happened with actor and dancer Sharvari Jamenis. She recalls, "Had it not been for pediatrician Dr Ajeet Padalkar, I wouldn’t be alive to give this quote. It was his accurate diagnosis that saved my life when once as a child, I suffered from meningitis that can either make a person lose his sanity or prove fatal.”
Being susceptible to cold and cough every three to four months can be irritating. And multiplex owner Neerav Panchamia cannot thank physician Dr Anish Trivedi enough for getting him rid of this problem. He says, "Since childhood I had this persistent problem, and nothing seemed to work over a long period. Of course, my lifestyle hazards were a major reason. But it was Dr Trivedi who managed to convince me to give up on some of them.
All of us are victims of professional hazards at some point of time. And that is what DJ Yusuf Kapasi faced, when he developed insomnia owing to his late working hours. It was Dr Mobina Khan, a specialist in acupuncture treatment, who came to his rescue. He says, "My problem of insomnia had grown to an extent where I got addicted to taking sleeping pills. A friend referred me to Dr Khan. I visited her twice a day for two months and she managed to get me completely off pills.
So, as doctors turn their magic wands and make our lives better, it’s our turn to say, thank you doctor! None of your hard work goes in vain.
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