  The Nepalese Students Association celebrated the Nepali New Year Thursday by raising $450, in support of a Nepali international student, who went into cardiac arrest and sustained other injuries.
Kundan Bhattarai, a 20-year-old Northlake College student, fainted on March 18 in a grocery store and was taken to the Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas.
Doctors say he went into cardiac arrest, had both lung and kidney failure, and incurred some brain damage. Kundan was in the ICU for 11 days. Now, he’s in the process of recovering. NSA president Ashish Kunwar said his group ushered in a new year with a good cause in mind.
How To Help
People can donate through PayPal at http://bharatmaniblogs.blogspot.com/
Help NSA raise funds for a student who was in comma.
Bharat Mani Bhattarai, Kundan’s cousin and a UTA alumnus, speaks on Kundan’s behalf online. In blogs and on one Nepali community Web site, Bharat is asking for donations to cover a $6,000 hospital bill.
According to Hamro Aawaz’s news Web site, contributors have made 145 donations totaling $3,565.89, as of Thursday. Bharat said he’s collected $2,800 from friends, but each doctor visit costs $850. Total medical costs could reach $200,000, he said.
Kundan was discharged about two weeks ago from the hospital and has short term memory loss. He is conscious, Bharat said.
“Kundan will also have to follow up with a neurologist at least for a couple of months,” Bharat said. “Even though he is recovering, he has high risk of reoccurrence of the cardiac arrest if he has too much stress mentally or physically.”
Kundan said he doesn’t remember what happened after he collapsed.
“I am weak and can’t walk far,” he said. “I have a little bit chest pain. Doctors told me that pain will go away in one or two months. I want to continue my education. I will complete my remaining course work of spring semester in summer.”
Kundan was going to school to become a civil engineer.
“Kundan is a brilliant student with 4.0 GPA,” Bharat said. “He is very ambitious, determined and hard working.”
Bharat said his cousin needs about $5,000 to cover medical expenses for two months.
Bioengineering junior Gokarna Kc said he feels good because he began his new year with a new spirit by helping his friend. He cooked food and volunteered for the fundraising event.
Accounting senior Santosh Thapa said Kundan stayed with him for about a month last year.
“He is very simple, sincere and doesn’t talk much,” Thapa said.
Bharat said Kundan’s father is on the lower end of the middle class in Nepal, and doesn’t have the finances to cover medical charges. Kundan doesn’t have insurance coverage, Bharat added.
“He has medication bills right now to pay and I am looking for a couple of months’ expenses for grocery and other bills to pay,” Bharat said. |
