Getting your player ready...
Thirty years ago, toxic gases from a pesticide factory swept through Bhopal, India, killing thousands in what some have described as the world’s worst industrial disaster. This academic year, 14 students from Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Integrative Health Care Program will travel to Bhopal to see the devastating effects firsthand, and visit a clinic that serves as an epicenter for wellness in the long-suffering community.
While in India, the group will stay at the Sambhavna Clinic in old town Bhopal. They will have daily lectures from the staff on topics like detoxification, mass trauma and the differences between Eastern and Western medicine. Students will work in the garden, learning how to pick and process medicinal herbs. They also will participate in a variety of community service projects and visit Indian historical sites.
“I view this trip as a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said senior Sarah Ramirez. “I expect to learn more than I ever could in a classroom. As a future nurse, I am excited to be able to visit with people who have been through so much, to try and understand their experience, and do what I can to help.”
The trip is scheduled for January 2016, but the students are currently taking a class to prepare for the service-learning experience. The group also hopes to raise $60,000, half of which will go to support the clinic with the other half covering a portion of the students’ cost.
The group will hold a fundraising gala on Oct. 11 at the Posner Center that will include an Indian dinner, silent auction and entertainment performance. Tickets are $75 per person or $120 for a couple. Space is limited, so reserve your spot at: http://events.msudenver.edu/bhopal.
