Kochi: Save more money, travel to new places, wake up early, eat healthy – while New Year resolutions for the majority of us were about making our own lives better, for Mishal Mohammed, it was about saving the lives of 74 children. So, carrying a collection bucket and a poster with the message ‘Save 74 Lives’, this 19-year-old student of Government Medical College, Kozhikode, walked around 15 km on the second day of the New Year to support children suffering from Thalassemia, Diabetes and Wilson’s disease. The effort taken by the second-year MBBS student has now garnered attention on social media platforms, under the hashtag #newyearrevolution.
According to Mishal, the ‘revolution’ has been launched as part of the Imprints project of the College Union Society under which medical aid and treatment are provided throughout the year to 74 children suffering from the disease. “Nearly a year ago, I had conducted a solo trip to the Western and Northern parts of the country. I was stranded in the Himalayas without cash for a couple of days and had to walk several kilometres for help. However, the experience gave me an impetus to explore my own city on foot, ” said Mishal.
Once back in Kozhikode, Mishal decided to put his walking experiment for a better cause. “The entire cost of medical aid for children under the Imprints project comes up to nearly Rs. one lakh per month. Since many are unaware of the initiative, I wondered why not use a novel method, walk around the city and raise funds for these children,” he said.
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