Under the sweltering afternoon sun, 58-year-old SundarRajan lay motionless on a bustling street—too weak to crawl into the shade, his body succumbing to pain, infection, and neglect. A distress call reached Snehan Home from a concerned passerby, prompting our team into immediate action.
When we arrived, the odor was overwhelming. Carefully, we removed his shirt to assess the injuries, and to our shock, dozens of maggots spilled from a gaping wound near his right elbow. Discharge oozed from the site, and SundarRajan was unable to stand or walk. We cleaned him as best we could, wrapped his arm, changed his clothes, and rushed him to the Government Hospital.
After four long hours of waiting, the medical team debrided the wound—removing hundreds of maggots and applying medication. Yet, when we pleaded for inpatient care, our request was denied.
Unwilling to give up, we brought him back to Snehan Home, isolated him to prevent further infection, and the next day took him to the PIMS City Center. There, compassionate doctors dressed the wound thoroughly, again removing countless maggots. On our return the following day, moved by our persistence, the doctor issued a referral—and SundarRajan was finally admitted to PIMS Hospital, where he received quality treatment completely free of charge. The maggots are now gone, and the wound is healing.
His recovery is still ongoing. He has lost vision in one eye, and the other is clouded with cataract. Partially disabled and without known family, he had once survived by begging—his life shaped by hunger and addiction.
Had we not reached him in time, he might not have survived the day.
Today, he is safe, cared for, and slowly reclaiming his health. We hold hope that one day, he will be strong enough to reconnect with loved ones—if they can be found—and rediscover dignity and joy in life once more.
