Surfing with the Storm
It's not only our residents who have fought battles and overcome. When Supriya Shinde, Head - Vocational Training at Pratiti smiles, it speaks volumes of her inner strength and unwavering belief in God. Click the link below to view her interview on October 8 with the BMT Foundation.
She is soft-spoken. She is calm. Like someone who been through a storm - and has succeeded in conquering it.
“Whatever life throws at me, there’s one thing i’m sure of. God will never put me through something, he won’t take me out of.”
In this cynical world, to meet someone who views the world with such hope, clarity and compassion is rare. But then -so is Supriya.
What makes her rare is her story. Soon after marriage in 2007 when all of us live life looking through rose tinted glasses, Supriya faced stark reality. Her husband, Rahul Shinde was diagnosed with cancer.
Not one to buckle down to pressure and her faith firmly in God, she and Rahul have stood together and weathered this storm. It has been a difficult journey of medication and treatments but one that Supriya and Rahul have managed to create some beautiful memories from.
A chance encounter with Sushupti Sathe, a school friend in 2018, brought Supriya and Pratiti together.
Given her background in Psychology, Supriya heads the Vocational Training unit, at Pratiti that uses various forms of art and music among residents to express and overcome their trauma as part of their rehabilitation. “Helping some out of their pain, is very cathartic as it gives me strength to deal with situations on a personal level. When I see how the residents at Pratiti are trying hard to overcome their difficulties, my problems pale in comparison.
I get strength from interacting with them. When they exceed their limitation and I see the joy on their faces - that feeling is priceless.
Just the other day, through the art class one resident at Pratiti earned INR1500/- when we sold the handkerchiefs she had made. Her eyes were filled with tears of happiness when we broke the news to her. I tell you there is no better satisfaction than that.”
Not one to rest on her laurels Supriya and Rahul have now fuelled their energies into a new venture ATMAN - an excellent initiative that aims to find companionship for cancer survivors.
Started 3 months ago, by Rahul and Supriya, the Atman team is already celebrating! Two members who registered with them are engaged and are planning their wedding in February next year.
Atman follows a rigorous process of registration and finding a partner includes meeting with doctors and families of both patients, a marriage counsellor and multiple discussions with the Atman team before the partnership is formalised.
As Supriya says, “Given that we already have a successful partnership in the making, we must be doing something good. It is a sign that we are on the right path.”
And we couldn’t agree more. What God has ordained, he will sustain.