"In being of spiritual, mental, and material service to others, you will find your own needs fulfilled. As you forget self in service to others, you will find that, without seeking it, your own cup of happiness will be full."

- Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

In keeping with the spirit of the words of Gurudeva quoted above, the Dwarahat Ashram of Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS) organised the second edition of its bi-annual medical camp from October 13 to 15, 2018. Hundreds of locals attended the camp and availed of free medical check-ups, treatment and follow-ups during this period, while those among them who needed further medical assistance were provided with the same by qualified doctors.

On the opening day of the medical camp, Swami Vasudevanandji offered prayers to Gurudeva and welcomed the volunteers. The pharmacy was inaugurated by Shri Raza Abbas, Deputy District Magistrate of Dwarahat. 

The medical team comprised of specialist doctors from all over India: Dr Himanshu Tyagi from Haridwar for Orthopedics; dentists Dr. Shaumik and Chandravati Guha from Bareilly, and Dr Bindia of Dwarahat; Dr Khurana, eye specialist from Hisar assisted by two technicians from YSS Ranchi Ashram; cardiologist Dr Vinay Bhat from Delhi; ENT specialist Dr Tripathi from Ghaziabad; general physician Dr Tiwari; gynaecologists - Dr Renu Tiwari from Delhi and Dr Kriti Tyagi from Haridwar; and child specialists Dr Satish Java and Dr Rajesh Gupta from Hisar. The locals attending the medical camp could avail of the pathology services for blood and urine examination, as well as physiotherapy sessions as per need.

The camp drew participation from PYSSUM - a Lucknow-based school for special children. As on previous occasions, students of Dwarahat's BTKIT Engineering College served as volunteers in the camp. Ten NCC students from Adarsh Inter-College of Suraikhet also volunteered in the camp for the first time.

Around 1500 people (more than 900 women and nearly 600 men) benefited from this medical camp during the three-day period. Ophthalmology and orthopaedics facilities were the biggest draw. As each individual would visit at least two specialists at the camp, the total number of check-ups conducted was much more than 1500.

The main site of the camp was located on the grounds of YSS Dwarahat Ashram. Ahead of the camp, a satellite camp is also generally organised to inform the residents of the area about the medical services to be offered at the camp. This year, two such satellite camps were organised - one at Suraikhet, nearly 16 kilometres to the west of Dwarahat, and the other at Kholiabaaj (Dunagiri), about 18 kilometres to the north.

Nearly 500 people visited these satellite camps. At the Suraikhet camp, 200 students received a complete medical check-up by the visiting child specialist.

YSS Dwarahat Ashram also celebrated Gurudeva Sri Sri Paramahansa Yoganandaji’s 125th birth anniversary year (2018) which was attended by the medical camp volunteers and local devotees. Special meditation sessions were conducted on two consecutive days - on October 13 and 14. The programmes included meditation, singing of cosmic chants, bhajans, aarti and pushpanjali. Aid in the form of sweaters and socks was also distributed to the students of the free primary school, Yogoda Balakrishnalaya, run by the Ashram on this occasion.