4th Annual “A Night in Nepal” event

The evening will feature a delicious traditional Nepalese buffet, wine, and soft drinks courtesy of Everest Café, Nepalese dancing, Nepali music, speeches and an auction of imported crafts.

WHERE: Saint Louis University; Center for Global Citizenship; 3672 West Pine Mall

Individual Tickets: $50 per person

Special Donor Levels:
$1000: Summit (receive 6 complimentary tickets)
$500: Climber (receive 4 complimentary tickets)
$250: Base Camp (receive 2 complimentary tickets)
For more information or to purchase tickets please call 314-531-4800

More information is available here [PDF].

To The Summit Newsletter: Volume 1, Issue 1

In the first issue of The Himalayan Family Healthcare Project's newsletter, we present our goals for 2013-2015, updates on recent and future medical missions to Nepal, partnerships with various organizations, and other items of interest for our friends throughout the world. Read the issue here.

Partnership with SLU to Enhance Education and Research in Nepal
SLU logo The Himalayan Family Healthcare Project and Saint Louis University have signed an agreement to promote collaborations in the spirit of institutional friendship and cultural, educational and scientific cooperation.

The two institutions will work together to identify and achieve shared objectives for enhancing professional training, education and research opportunities in Nepal, especially the Manang District.

Nepal Medical Mission: Autumn, 2012

In late October through early November of 2012, a team of 37 medical professionals and volunteers from the U.S., Austria and Nepal assisted in a medical mission in Thonche, Nepal.

Children of Tilche

Children of Thonche

Volunteers

We treated over 500 patients for a wide variety of health issues (eye, medical, dental, etc.).

Medical Mission

Success Story Featured on KPLR-TV

The Himalayan Family Healthcare Project and the life's work of Founder, Dr. Devi Gurung States, were featured on a segment of “All About Business: St. Louis.”

This is a weekly program on KPLR-TV Channel 11, which highlights some of the St. Louis, Missouri region’s most successful businesses.

A direct link to the video on YouTube is here. Our section begins at approximately the 20-minute mark.

Nepal Medical Mission: Autumn, 2011

A team of professionals organized by The Himalayan Family Healthcare Project provided comprehensive primary healthcare services such as pediatrics, internal medicine, women’s health, dental and behavioral healthcare for the people of the Manang District in Nepal. In addition, various health-related seminars and lectures to help empower the local villagers were also conducted.

Thonche Village, Lower Manang: October 22-23, 2011
Humde Village, Upper Manang: October 26, 2011

Here is a report by one of our attendees on the data collected during this event.

A Moonlight Climb for Nepal

On August 26, 2011 we held an outdoor, evening event at the Compton Hill Water Tower and Reservoir Park in St. Louis, Missouri. While exploring this historic landmark, over 300 guests enjoyed a traditional Nepalese buffet, live music, and beautiful Nepalese dancing.

This fundraiser was held to raise awareness of our upcoming medical trek.

Water Tower

We thank all of those who attended as well as David Null, chairman of the event, Joe Grimaud, our MC, and our many great volunteers!

Heartfelt appreciation goes to the following event sponsors:

Summit Level ($1,000)

Climber Level ($500)

Base Camp Level ($250)

Cardboard Boat Race

On Saturday, July 30, 2011 HFHCP participated in the 2nd Annual Wings of Hope Cardboard Boat Race, held at the Grand Basin in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri.

Boat Race

Our entry for this race was called Buddha's Barge:

Buddha's Barge

Although we did not win the race, we had lots of fun, met new friends, and sold many HFHCP T-shirts and fans (the fans were a big hit on such a hot day).

Race for Charity

Our captains were Joseph Torretta, Candice Perdan and Mark Winkelman. Special thanks go to John Torretta, the designer and building of Buddha's Barge.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Article

The Himalayan Family Healthcare Project, and Dr. States' inspiring personal story, were featured in The St. Louis Post-Dispatch on July 25, 2011. A direct link is here.

First Fundraiser for The Himalayan Family Healthcare Project

On November 8, 2010 we held our first event to raise awareness of the project and seek support. Through the generosity of our guests and the hard work of our volunteers, the evening was a success.

Special thanks go to Dr. Melissa Marshall and Mr. Eric Jacobs for graciously opening the doors of their home to such a large crowd in order to host the event; to Pratima, Anu, Rajive and Asis for bringing the beauty and grace of Nepalese music and dance to a living room in St. Louis; to Everest Cafe & Bar for preparing and donating all of the delicious Nepalese food; and to the companies and individuals who donated items for the auction, as well as all of those who bid on those items.

Your continued support will bring much needed medical services to a kind, remarkable, inspiring people in remote Nepal.

First Fundraiser

Kick-off Event in Nepal and Board Member Viewing of Land Sites

In Autumn, 2010, two members of the U.S. Board of Directors, Dr. Melissa Marshall and Mr. Randall Siefert, joined the organization's founder, Dr. Devi Gurung States, for a kick-off celebration in the beautiful village of Thoanche, where our hospital will be built.

Thoanche Village

Located at the confluence of the Marshyangdi and Dudh Khola Rivers, Thoanche (at an altitude of about 6,500 feet) is within the Annapurna, Nepal's first and largest conservation area.

The remoteness of the area our hospital will serve is astounding. The first full day out of Nepal's capitol, Kathmandu, comprised a long journey by bus followed by a bumpy ride by jeep until late evening. The hike to Thoanche was about a day and a half (our timeline was intense, so we trekked ten hours with heavy packs on the first day alone). We crossed footbridges over rapids, passed lines of donkeys carrying supplies, and rested amidst waterfalls by our narrow, rocky path.

Melissa and Devi

Our mission on this trip was to meet the people our organization will be serving and to view in person the various options for hospital land sites and make our recommendation to the full Board as to the most ideal locations.

Possible Land Site

We were greeted by representatives from all of the villages in the region. About 300 people were present. Community leaders gave passionate speeches regarding the need for healthcare in Manang. There was a wide range of singing and dancing, representing each major cultural group. It became clear to us that the level of gratitude and commitment to this project by the local people was tremendous and sincere.

Welcome Ceremony

During our time in Manang, where we had the honor of visiting the homes of many residents of several different villages, we saw a wonderful openness, generosity, sense of family, strength, and a simple resourcefulness in such a rugged, unforgiving land. But we also saw a real need for medicine, trained healthcare professionals, and a hospital. The Western trekker who breaks a leg or gets frostbite while mountain-climbing has (with luck and the several thousand dollars needed) the ability to call for an airlift to Kathmandu. But we saw and heard firsthand what happens to the local people, living primarily at a subsistence level, when problems occur during childbirth or with chronic disease or with the full spectrum of illnesses that would be easily treatable from a nearby doctor with medical equipment and supplies.

The experience for us was humbling, moving, productive, and unforgettable. We look forward—with your help—to building, staffing, and maintaining a quality medical facility in this beautiful part of Nepal.

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