It introduced research oriented and evidence based early medical interventional therapies to enhance the recovery rate of children with brain damage related disabilities, using intensive one-to-one Standard Therapy (need-based Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy, Special Education, Sensory Integration Therapy), Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), mild Hyperbaric Air Therapy (mHBAT), Acupuncture, Unani Neuro-restorative therapy, Computer Assisted biofeedback, Pulsed Magnetic Field Therapy, DAN-Protocol based Biochemical Therapy for Autism along with Injection MB12 and heavy metal chelation in children proven to have heavy metal intoxication.
So far, we have helped more than 200 CP and 50 ASD children recover to a noticeable degree, with many returned to mainstream life. Many more are on our waiting list.
UDAAN, is one of the pioneers and leading non-profit institutions in India providing early medical intervention research based NGO in India working with Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic / Post-Encephalitic brain injury and Autism. It provides multi mode therapy as described above, for brain damaged children to revive a significant part of their damaged brain, to improve their long term quality of life.
It is this project that has made UDAAN an Internationally recognized name among many of the world's foremost authorities on brain damage repair in CP and Autism.
The Team
The Core team members are:- Convener and Founder Trustee of FSMHP and Principal, UDAAN: Mrs. Shubhra Mukherjee, a Philanthropist and Special Educator, started UDAAN from her own house in 1992, inspired by the difficulties faced by two sisters with severe CP. Her dedication, hard work and perseverance has now transformed what was formerly Shubhra's School into a Nationally and Internationally recognized institution: UDAAN
- CEO and Founder Trustee: Dr. Arun Mukherjee, MBBS, MD (Internal Medicine) is a leading Senior Consultant in Internal Medicine in South Delhi, and Sr. Physician at Hamdard University's Majeedia Hospital since 1991. He directs the medical and toxicological aspects of management of brain repair in ASD and CP children at UDAAN.
He is nationally and internationally recognized as the pioneer and one of the foremost authorities in HBOT for cerebral palsy in India, and has taken pioneering steps to introduce DAN Protocol based biochemical management of Autism Spectrum Disorders into India on a highly scientific evidence based format. He is the main reason why the UDAAN-INDIRA Project came into existence and achieved International fame. - Founder Trustee Mrs. Aparajita Mukherjee Wyas, BFA, is a Graphic Artist. From the inception of UDAAN, she was actively involved in taking up the cause of UDAAN and popularizing it during the vital first decade of its existence. She maintains her active interest and has a vital role for media management strategies.
- Trustee Dr. Rajiv Uttam, MRCP, Senior Pediatric Consultant & Intensivists at MAX Hospital, Delhi, is a highly respected and a very pedioatrician. He has been one of the guiding authorities of the paediatric oriented medical management strategies of UDAAN since the last decade.
- Trustee Mr. Manoj Chatterjee is one of the most respected and senior Advocates at Delhi High Court. He is associated with many Philanthropic institutions including Mother Teressa's Missionaries of Charity and SOS Children's village. He is our legal watchdog, takes a keen interest in our activities and guides us in maintaining our aims and objectives in serving the cause of brain damaged children.
- Trustee Mr. Nilanjan Bhowal is a Sr. Architect & Urban Planner. He executes Master Plans in India and abroad and is a consultant to MEA, for projects in India and abroad. As a non-medical person, he provides vital inputs on how the world perceives us, and is the key person who is guiding us to establish the UDAAN-INDIRA Building plans.
- Trustee Mrs. Krishna Kumar is a Retired teacher, Central School, Delhi. It was her two CP daughters that inspired Mrs, Shubhra to start UDAAN in 1992. She is one of the founders of an association of parents that have started India's first Home for Spastics at Dwarka, as well as an institution for rehabilitation of CP children at Charmwood Village. She is a constant source of inspiration, guidance and assistance to UDAAN since its very inception.
- Trustee Mrs. Neela Mazumdar, a Teacher at Sister Nivedita School at Delhi, is an expert in education of children, besides a trained dancer, singer and painter. She is the soul behind all dramatic and cultural functions undertaken by UDAAN, including the highly successful dance dramas (Ramayan and Selfish Giant) performed by our children in the past.
- Trustee Mr. Neelmani Chawla is noted Business Person and Building Contractor in South Delhi. He and his team of colleagues have been the main source of funding that got UDAAN going during the formative decade before Government Grants were received. He continues to be a source of help, guidance and funding, along with his team of businesspersons.
- Dr. I C Verma, FRCP (London), FAAP (USA), FAMS (INDIA), Head of Dept. of Genetics, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, ex-Professor of genetics at AIIMS, is widely regarded as the father of Genetic Medicine in India. He is the guiding person for the ambitious Autism Research Project being undertaken at UDAAN.
- Dr. (Ms) M S Ray, MD in Paediatrics (AIIMS) is a Senior Consultant in Paediatrics, Majeedia Hospital, Hamdard University, and Moolchand Hospital, Delhi. Her intricate knowledge in Genetic Disorders and their management makes her a very valuable member of our team.
- Collaborating Institutions
- Apollo Hospital: Department of HBOT under Dr. Tarun Sahni, MD., Sr. Consultant in Medicine & Head of Dept.of HBOT
- Sir Ganga Ram Hospital: genetics Department, under Dr. I C Verma
- Dr. Lal's Pathlabs and Religare Laboratories: both are internationally accredited laboratories. They give our children 25% concession for the rare and ultra-specialized tests that are required for Biochemical and Genetic management of Autism.
- Delhi Institute for Functional Imaging, is the first institution in India to start the highly specialized functional CT-cum-SPECT Fusion Scan of brain to help identify areas of brain are still alive though damaged, which could be revived by HBOT. They give our children 25% concession for doing these scans.
Our mission
- To set up INDIRA Project for excellence in management, training, and research in treatment of brain damaged children using latest medical interventions, to develop newer strategies.
- Using resources and materials available in India, or accessible from abroad, to treat children who develop sequel of brain damage, also known as Neuro-developmental disability, due to
- Acquired causes (Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic brain injury)
- Complicated delivery or severe illness before or soon after birth, etc.
- Genetic (Autism, Down syndrome, etc
- To create national awareness about the plight of the brain damaged adults and children and their families.
Accomplishments till date
- In 1999, UDAAN suggested the starting of Multimode Therapy on its website. We suggested that since CP is a multi-pathology multifaceted disorder, hence no one method of therapy would give optimum benefit. Multimode Therapy (MMT) took shape as an idea.
- In June 2001, we pioneered India's first project to offer young CP children intensive one-on-one Standard Therapy + Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (courtesy Apollo Hospital) + Unani Neuro-restorative Therapy (courtesy Hamdard University) + CP-Specific Acupuncture.
- More than 150 HBOT treated cases later, we concluded that:
- HBOT based MMT can double the rate of brain development as compared to a matching group of children who chose to be given only Standard Therapy.
- These interventions are best carried out before the age of 5 years, after which oxygen-starved brain cells undergo significant and further irreversible damage.
- FSMHP OPD project is therefore planned to be enhanced into an Institute for Neuro-developmental Disabilities Interventional Research Activities (INDIRA Project) for Advanced Therapy & Training in Multimode Early Medical Intervention Therapy including both high pressure Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and low pressure Hyperbaric Air Therapy (HBAT) for Cerebral Palsy, Autism and other Neuro-developmental Disabilities, to benefit more children. UDAAN uses the same treatment methods as those followed in the US, Canada and UK.
International recognition
UDAAN was invited to present its results of the ongoing UDAAN MMT for CP in USA & India at:
- To see the effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Gross Motor Abilities of Cerebral Palsy Children of 2-5 years, given initially as an adjunct to Occupational Therapy; Ind. Journal of Occupational Therapy.; 2003; 35 (1): 7-11
- UDAAN" Multimode including Hyperbaric Oxygenation and early Medical Intervention Therapy for small children with moderate to severe Cerebral Palsy: Paper presented at 3rd Int. Symposium on Cerebral Palsy and the Brain Injured Child; July 2003, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
- Update on the ongoing "UDAAN" Multimode, including Hyperbaric Oxygenation and Early Medical Intervention Therapy for small children with Cerebral Palsy, Paper presented at 4th Int. Symposium on Hyperbaric Oxygenation in CP and the Brain Injured Child; July 2004, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
- UDAAN HBOT-Based multimode therapy for Cerebral Palsy: Paper presented at the 1st International Symposium for the use of Hyperbaric Oxygenation in neurosciences, July 2006, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
- UDAAN HBOT based Multimode Therapy for children with Cerebral Palsy: An Ongoing Observational Study: 6th Int. Symposium on Hyperbaric Oxygenation and the Future of Healing (CME Conference); July 2008, Torrance, California, USA
- A study of the different Hyperbaric Pressures and use of 100% OXYGEN (HBOT) or ambient air (HBAT), for Early Medical Intervention Therapy in children with Cerebral Palsy; Neuro-HBOT Certification 2-day CME Course, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Workshop, organized by International Hyperbarics Association, Inc; October 2008, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy & its "Experimental" usage in Cerebral Palsy, Conference of American College for Advancement in Medicine (CME Conf.), October 2008,Las Vegas, US
- UDAAN HBOT-Based Open Observational Long Term Pilot Study in children with CP; paper presented at the 4th Asia Pacific Conference of Asian Hyperbaric & Diving Medicine Association (AHDMA), Oct. 25-27, 2009, Goa, India
- In 2006, we pioneered in India DAN Protocol based Biomedical Treatment & Management strategy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, with aim to formally introduce India to specific medical therapies of proven benefit in ASD, and genetic study of biochemical profile of the Indian ASD child.
In case you would like to be a part of the efforts of the FSMHP, and would like to donate to help improve the quality of life of differently abled children, or as a gesture of your or your company's Social responsibility, kindly contact Dr. Arun Mukherjee [See below] Founder Trustee, by email as given below or by letter to Directror, FSMHP, 61 Deshbandhu Apartments, Kalkaji, New Delhi 110019, INDIA; Telephone +91-11-26446978 . Better still, meet Ms. Shubhra Mukherjee, Principal, at work at the UDAAN center, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 12.30 PM, at C/27-28 Dayanand Colony, Lajpatnagar - 4, New Delhi 110024, India; Tel. 011-41631140 and 011-41621137
Donations if any, should be by cash or cheque / draft made out in the name of "FSMHP" payable at Delhi, and sent to Mrs. Shubhra Mukherjee, Principal, FSMHP-UDAAN, C/27-28 Dayanand Colony, Lajpatnagar - 4, New Delhi 110024, India. Contributions should be in Indian Rupees.
If the donation is sent from abroad in any foreign currency. then the payment should be in the name of "FSMHP-Foreign" payable at Delhi
Donors in India may avail of Income Tax Exemption under section 80G of the Income Tax Act.
| Contact Person: | Click here to go to Main Home Page |