Every month, a group of around 60 people carve a few hours out of their busy schedules to meet. They go on cycling expeditions or follow the running trail at one of Bengaluru’s many parks, or play badminton and table tennis before deciding on where to go for lunch.
Meet the members of One Step at a Time (OSAAT), a support group for amputees —men and women who lost their limbs in accidents that changed the course of their lives forever.
One Step was founded last year in June by Hema Subhash (31), a former software engineer. Her left leg had to be amputated when she met with an accident at the Kundalahalli bus stop on February 3, 2010. “I was returning from work and was getting off the bus. But the driver started to move suddenly. I fell down and the rear tires crushed my left knee,” she said.
Sudden amputation and restricted mobility is traumatic, but Hema, who was in her mid-20s at the time, was determined to live a full life. OSAAT was born out of a need to reach out to other amputees and people with orthopaedic disabilities for support and camaraderie. The trigger was a patient Hema had met when she was in hospital recovering from her amputation.
“I had the support of my family and friends. But this girl had lost her hand in a road accident and her family couldn’t come to terms with it. That’s when it struck me that I can try doing something for people like me,” said Hema, who has since married and is the mother of a two-year-old boy.
From one to 60Today, One Step has a grown from a Facebook group to an active community. “We are a 60-member strong group in Bengaluru comprising people with disabilities, mainly orthopaedic impairments. We come together frequently for sports event or general chitchat,” said Madhumitha Venkataraman, Associate Director (HR) at Snapdeal, one of the early members.
This month, OSAAT hosted its first public event: a 10-day free swimming camp, which ended on March 19.
“It was a great feeling to interact and help people rekindle their confidence,” said 22-year-old Dhruv Batra, a software engineer with Accenture, who lost his right leg in a road accident in 2010 in Punjab. “The group and its activities have given me a fresh lease of life. I’m trying to help others attain it, too.”
Kavitha Sheoram (24) from Koramangala shares a similar sentiment. “I was confined to my home after I lost my limb in a road accident at Devanahalli in March 2014. I kept thinking ‘why me’ and felt my life was over. Today, I’m happy to have met more people like me. Now, I believe I can overcome all,” said the engineering graduate, who is preparing for a career in banking.
Hema is happy that she has been able to reach out to so many people in Bengaluru. The reward goes beyond building lasting friendships. It’s reaffirmation that life can be beautiful.
