DHARAMSHALA: Nyima Dawa Lhamo, a 21-year-old Tibetan girl living in Doeguling settlement in Mundgod in south India, was diagnosed with serious bone marrow disease by doctors at KLE Hospital in Belgaum on 22 May 2012. She is studying at the same hospital. Doctors advised her to undergo stem cell transplantation, adding, any delay in treatment would put her life in danger. The total cost of treatment was estimated between 10 – 12 lakh rupees if the stem cells taken from her siblings matches.

Nyima’s needy family, consisting of her widow mother and seven brothers and sisters, faced dire financial problem to save her life. In response to their appeal for help, and also on the appeal of the Representative, Mundgod, fellow settlers have shown exemplary sense of solidarity and self-supporting initiative. The settlers rallied round the family to save Nyima’s life. They formed groups, such as Thunmong Guys, Phosar Tsokpa camp 9, with support Sakya Tsechen Dongag Choeling Monastery and Tibetans living abroad (New York, Canada and Belgium), collected a total donation of Rs 16,71,766. Tenzin Nangsal, a young Tibetan living in Mundgod, campaigned for Nyima Dawa Lhamo’s treatment on Facebook.

Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay has praised the Tibetan settlers in Mundgod for their spirit of self-support, which he says follows the Kashag’s guiding principles of unity, self-reliance and innovation.

Nyima is undergoing treatment at Christian Medical College Vellore.