‘Covid Warrior’ & Youth Leader Suhan Alva Shares His Ordeal after Recovering from Covid-19
Mangaluru: Following an article where a ENT doctor from A J Hospital & Research Centre, Mangaluru Dr Vishwas Pai had shared his 24-Day Experience with Covid-19 as a PATIENT (Ref: ENT DOCTOR Vishwas K Pai Shares His 24-Day Experience with Covid-19 as a PATIENT ), here we have a young ‘COVID WARRIOR’, who tested positive for Coronavirus, and was hospitalized at a private hospital in Deralakatte, in the outskirts of Mangaluru, for seven days, and after discharged from hospital, was home qurantiend for seven more days, narrates his ordeal after recovering fully from the deadly Virus. And this young, dynamic and bubbling ‘YOUTH LEADER’ is 22-year-old Suhan Alva, a Alumni of St Aloysius College, Mangaluru, who during his PUC days formed ‘Citizen Alliance to Uphold Service and Exchange (CAUSE) along with his buddy Mohammed Shawaz, also of St Aloysius Pre-University College-Mangaluru, has now become an incubator for the formation of a social conscience, since its inception six years ago.
CAUSE has inspired young students to look beyond themselves and in doing so, has touched countless lives in and around Mangaluru. And to those students in financial difficulties, CAUSE who wanted to fuel them who burn the midnight oil, as an acknowledgement of their hard work had offered scholarships. They have also reached out to the less fortunate in little ways, bringing them smiles and joy and the assurance that all lives matters. In the past, joining with St Aloysius PUC, Mangaluru, under the dynamic leadership of Suhan had organized fund-raising charity events to help the needy by spreading smiles to the ones who deserve much more than they get. CAUSE also distributed books for the deserving and poor students, and also have helped ashrams, old-age homes and NGO’s in their needs. These are among the many community projects that CAUSE has undertaken all these years- and kudos and credit should go to the founders Suhan Alva and Mohammed Shawaz- joined by a bunch of their team members.
Yes, we live in a world with overwhelming humanitarian needs, where millions and millions of people are in need of food, water and financial help. With so many needs, where do we even begin? Does helping just one person really matter? The answer is found in Matthew 25:40 where Jesus says, “Whatever you have done to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you have done it to me.” One really does matter. You can help the needy around you in practical, creative ways. And this is exactly what a bevy of these CAUSE youngsters have been doing to help the less fortunate and the needy with love, right now during the lockdown in order to contain Covid-19. “You may never know what results come of your action, But if you do nothing there will be no result. The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems” had said Mahatma Gandhi, and Mother Teresa once said, “We cannot do great things on this Earth, Only small things with great love.”- and that’s exactly the members of CAUSE have been doing.
During the lockdown days, starting from March and continuing for the next three months, Suhan along with his team worked hard to make a difference in the lives of the needy in the community, especially during this pandemic, where many migrant workers and low wage labourers were suffering, with no income, were fed with afternoon and night meals, and evening tea/snacks. From 25 March 2020, Suhan Alva and Team CAUSE distributed Food, Water, Tea, Biscuits to the needy people across Mangaluru City. When the police commissionerate had made no arrangements in providing tea/coffee and snacks to the police personnel on duty, this Team also provided tea/coffee and biscuits to the City’s brave-hearts.The main motive behind this was to inspire young Minds to join hands to eradicate hunger. No doubt, thousands of people were struggling for basic food due to Corona Lockdown. Funds for all the expenses, which was around Rs 10,000 per day was pooled in by Team members, and from well-wishers and friends.
And such was the generous and Good Samaritan work done by Suhan Alva, where helping the poor is in his blood, and always working for a good cause. Through Suhan Alva and Mohammed Shawaz, CAUSE has created a compassionate heart among the youth, and the youth have become conscious about the downtrodden. It’s nice to note that the members of this organization are doing yeomen service to the community. CAUSE is doing magnificent and tremendous work in serving the community with its members as Good Samaritans. It’s not just the indigent of society-it is the youth too who have been strengthened in carrying out philanthropic work with no complaints or hesitations. After all, these youngsters are not what they do for money, they’re what they do for love. And if their mentors and elders have taught them anything, it is to lean in to the spaces that are life giving and risky, unwilling and painful, tender, yet blessed!
I praise these young masses of CAUSE which has grown immensely in their passion and drive in their service to the society- and to my buddy Suhan Alva, I say “Bravo Comrade, for your initiative to form CAUSE”, to help people in times of distress and hardship. The efforts of the Team CAUSE in helping out the society during this time of pandemic through this little contribution while still young, is praiseworthy. Coronavirus pandemic is not just about the virus itself. It has brought with it hunger, loneliness, homelessness, violence and domestic abuse. At such a time, the ‘Covid Warriors’, including Suhan engaged in community work, bringing support and service to the people selflessly in different ways they could. These bravehearts, are our true ‘Covid Warriors’.
While we all are praying and thanking God for keeping us healthy, we must not forget to express our gratitude towards our doctors and nurses who are working around the clock treating COVID-19 patients and spreading awareness, and also Covid Warriors, like Suhan. In the process, they are putting their health at risk for us. They are also being hurled abuses by their neighbours for being in contact with infected people and putting others’ lives in danger. Nevertheless, they are determined to save as many lives as possible and help the society contain the pandemic. A salute to these ‘Covid Warriors’ epitomizing humanity in challenging times, and a BIG Thank You to Suhan and his team for playing an important role during the pandemic.
These corona do-gooders display humanity at its best. CAUSE and its Team members list is not a comprehensive one and we know there are many ‘Covid Warriors’ out there making an impact, driving change and contributing to community welfare. We salute all the corona do-gooders who are writing a new chapter in humanity during these unprecedented times of a pandemic, and who are putting their lives in risk, while mingling and serving the needy during lockdown- and while we are talking about risk, Suhan Alva was unfortunate to be affected with the Virus, while serving the less-fortunate masses. But, God was great, and Suhan overcame the Virus with proper treatment, and narrates his 14-day ordeal after recovering from Covid-19.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Suhan Alva said, “Give in love and give yourself. Share laughter and memories. Then you will truly have touched someone’s soul, with this thought we began CAUSE (Citizen Alliance to Uphold Service and Exchange) in the year 2014. When the spread of the invisible virus, Covid19 began in our country, we had a nationwide lockdown, during which the lives of many were affected. During these testing times the people in Dakshina Kannada, including Mangaluru, too were affected due to hunger, shelter and other economic reasons. Team CAUSE got into the ground to help the needy and we distributed food to more than 250 people each day. The entire team had taken necessary precautions like face masks, gloves and regular sanitizing of our hands. Even though the task seemed to be risky reaching out to the needy was the need of the hour”
He further said, “During this exercise of distribution, I had isolated myself so that I don’t get in contact with anybody especially my family. During the second week of July, I had symptoms of Covid-19, like headache, sore throat, fever,dry cough and difficulty in breathing. I immediately quarantined myself in a designated private hospital in Mangaluru and gave my throat swab for testing. The very next day I was reported positive for Covid 19. The journey in the hospital began with having over 12 symptoms, such as loss of taste and smell, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, headache and the like. The doctors and nurses made sure that I am comfortable enough and kept checking on me regularly”.
“With the medical treatment in the hospital, with the prayers of the loved ones ,well wishers and with god’s grace, I was able to recover within 4-5 days and on the 7th day I was sent back from the hospital to home quarantine/isolation for seven more days, where I spent my time reading new books, watching new series and attending important video/voice calls. As a wise man once said, “Victory belongs to those who believe in it the most, it is all about your will power and your confidence. Also, I would like to suggest this to everyone that they should build their immunity as much as they can right from the beginning. One has to be cautious and not afraid of this deadly Virus, because it all depends on our mindset and how we think. I suggest all of you to stay safe, stay strong and keep up the positivity in you” added Suhan.
This article is a recount of Suhan Alva’s experience with Covid–19, after being treated at a private hospital, and recovered fully. The idea behind this was to share the experience and throw some light such that the apprehensions and doubts of people are sorted to some extent. This is an honest attempt at that and was arrived at after a lot of persuasion and encouragement of friends and well wishers. Suhan Alva considers himself lucky to be surrounded by family, friends and well-wishers, who do not fail to encourage and support him each day. He has been getting lots of good wishes on whatsapp and facebook, and immense support like this, is very important for ‘Covid Warriors’ like him to keep going.
COVID-19 is ‘just an virus’, and we can and will fight it. All we need to do is stay united, not play blame games, not panic and hope that one day we will come out of it, stronger than ever. Team Mnagalorean salutes ‘Covid Warrior’ and Youth Leader Suhan Alva and other Covid Warriors, who show up every day and night in saving lives. Heroes like them continue to reaffirm our faith in humanity!
