Tavleen's last wish
March 11, 2013 by Contribution from EcoSikh and SikhNet Team Compilation
Source - http://www.sikhnet.com/news/tavleens-last-wish
<table align="center" width="600"> <tbody> <tr> <td>
</td></tr> <tr> <td width=""> My little angel, Tavleen
(In the words of father, Dr. Gurmeet Singh Narang)
</td></tr> <tr> <td style="line-height: 100%; font-family: arial;" width=""> On 16th June, 1993, I and my wife Daisy were blessed with God's most beautiful gift, a healthy female child who we named- 'Tavleen'. It was a moment of great celebration as our dream baby girl was born. She made our lives a beautiful journey through her sweetness. Physically normal and intelligent Tavleen, started going to school at age four. In the year 1998, we were again blessed by a baby, this time a boy who we named 'Simar'. Even more than us, Tavleen was crazy about her brother. Our family was so well knit, as if the sweet heavens have settled amongst us four.
Whoever saw us said that we could not have been happier than that. We felt so complete. But our happiness did not last for long. Misery clouded our smiles with a shocking and unbelievable mishap. My son Simar passed away due to sudden heart failure in the year 2001. The agony brought utmost despair and we had no option, but to accept it. Surprisingly, we saw Tavleen (age 8 that time) exhibit above average maturity to understand the change of situations. We used to burst in tears every time Tavleen asked us about Simar. In 2003, Tavleen's need for a companion was fulfilled by our second baby boy 'Sahaj' who won our hearts with his innocence. I thanked God and prayed that he blesses us for life ahead.
I could see obvious joy on the faces of Daisy and Tavleen after the arrival of Sahaj. Despite our efforts, our misery prevailed, and my wife was diagnosed with acute failure of her both kidneys. After 3 months of extreme struggle for life, she sank to death, despite our sincere efforts and prayers. I was absolutely shattered at that moment. Tavleen was 9 at that time. I gathered my inner self and started living for my children. I had to change myself to take full care of them. I was pretty astonished to see many changes in Tavleen. Coming back from the doom, she was now a more composed and independent girl. She took care of her school uniform, bag, study room, homework on her own. Not only this, she took care of her younger brother as well. She became more mature than her age. Our life gradually began attaining a normal pace.
Tavleen was very fond of reading books and had a sound collection. She also learnt singing and playing santoor from her school music teacher. At age 12, she mastered the instrument and won medals in the same as well. Tavleen was highly interested in meeting people and celebrities. She got an opportunity to meet Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Past President of India. In their talk, he inspired Tavleen to take care of the city and country by maintaining cleanliness and to save the environment by planting trees. He also enlightened her to do something for the orphans. This meeting left a deep impression on Tavleen and she began visiting an orphanage in her leisure time.
Besides all her extra-curricular activities, Tavleen was very humble and well adjusted. She was flexible with all her classmates and not a single tint of pride could ever touch her. She was always the centre of attraction of her class and school. One could see her wonderful quotes up on the wall in her classroom. Quotations and thoughts on positive thinking and success filled the walls of her study room at home. I vividly remember some of them as- 'Take charge', 'Validate yourself', 'Admit your mistakes and correct them', 'don't run', 'don't panic', 'Face the situation', 'The best time is now', 'You can', and many more. At the age of just 14, she used to do things that inspired me. Things were really settling down in our lives and I was back on track, emotionally and rationally. Every time I looked up to God and asked Him to uphold this rhythm forever.
Tavleen, now 14, was doing very well in life. But God tested our capacities yet again. In June 2007, we were taken aback when Tavleen, after complaining of pain in her knee, was diagnosed with bone cancer in the right knee. Tavleen - my life, my doll, dancing and singing doll- was under this severe attack. Can you believe how difficult it is for a father to inform his daughter about her suffering from cancer? We were in a total wreck and I was once again in a no man's land. 'Where is God?'- Tavleen questioned me. I had no answer. Tavleen, surprisingly, responded that she knew what the doctors were talking about. And that she understood what I was going through. She hugged me and said, "Papa, God has once again put us for a test. I have accepted this. I will face it and come out as a winner". I realized that these should have been my words to her!
After various consultations, I took my lovely daughter to Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai where she underwent various tests for three days. The doctors confirmed the problem as osteosarcoma- a type of bone cancer. She was recommended to undergo nine chemotherapy treatments and one major surgery to remove the tumor from the knee. Related side effects of the treatment were also explained that she will lose her long beautiful hair, she cannot go to school for almost a year. We were also told that cancer existed in her leg only and nowhere else in her body. Doctors explained if she takes full treatment, she will be cancer free and that we were at the best medical centre of Asia. Tavleen didn't even panic. She was calm and composed. I was looking my daughter's face and complaining to God for what he did to us; that a young girl will have to face so much. On the contrary, she assured the doctors that she will cooperate to full extent. She had full faith in God and the doctors.
Tavleen was admitted in the hospital the next day and went through pre-chemotherapy procedures. She was to first receive 3 chemotherapies, then surgery and then 6 more chemotherapies. It took nine long months for all these processes. There were several moments during this course that I panicked, but Tavleen was focused to battle with the situation. She never lost willpower and confidence and always remembered God. She talked to her friends, relatives, teachers, uncles and discussed her studies when in the hospital. Not a single person could get the hint of her pain, her tone used to be that unruffled.
During her treatment, she lost her hair. One day, she was searching on her laptop for a good design for her wig. When she told doctors, "I am searching for the best wig design", doctors remarked, "You are a very brave girl". She researched on the internet to find out something new about treatment and disease. All along her treatment, she read good books, discussed with doctors about her recovery status, checked her charts which were prepared by nurses, saw the reports etc. She took briefings about her recovery and diets, noted them down in her diary; placed posters and clippings of positive thoughts and willpower on the board in her room. Even the doctors and nurses read the inspiring posters regularly. She chatted on internet, heard 'gurbani' on her laptop and prayed in the morning and evening daily. Even under painful conditions, she never lost the smile on her face. Finally, the day came when she got discharged from the hospital and was back home. Before leaving the hospital, she touched her forehead on the hospital floor, for she believed, "This is also a temple. I have recovered here only".
Tavleen regained momentum in life. She took a healthy diet, her weight increased by 10 kgs and after two month's rest, she rejoined her school. Tavleen had won the battle against cancer, as doctors also agreed. She accompanied me to Amritsar to pay gratitude to Lord. Her hair grew again, her eating, walking, laughter restored as before. She glowed with the grace on her face. Her medicines continued as a precautionary measure. She kept herself busy with her books, hanging out, appreciating music. I thanked God for her startling face. If she ever saw me gloomy, she cheered me up with her motivating diets. In this wonderful atmosphere, I forgot the entire past nightmare.
In May 2008, she was taken for a follow up check-up. After a brief investigation, doctors informed that cancer had spread to her chest. I was stunned, thoughtless and speechless! I looked up to God, and painfully pleaded, "What have you written for her, what wrong has she done? Why again?" I was in a total mess, thinking how she would take this shocking news of her ten month long treatment going in vain. Doctors could not reply. Actually, these days, doctors don't do their job with sincerity. They need numbers to prepare a data bank and write success stories. I took the bold step and told her. For the first time she broke into tears. She hugged me and said, "For how long will this treatment last. Did we not do our best? Why did this happen again". I was speechless and agonized. She told God, "Once again you have dragged me in this down cast; I will not give up; I will fight again". I hugged her tightly and kissed her with love. Doctors advised me to chose either two surgeries plus chemotherapies or go for alternate medicines. After taking many advices from doctors and medical professionals, we finally chose the path of alternative medicine looking at many people get benefits out of it.
Tavleen had now turned more courageous. She developed superb positive mental framework. She encouraged herself, "I want to live". She began doing pranic healing, pranayaam and reikei. She searched for anti cancer diet and followed it religiously. Her message to God was loud and clear- she was determined to fight cancer and left no room for any negative thought. She contacted worldwide medical professionals, working on controlling cancer, and started following their advice too. Every day she wrote in her diary when she would recover, what she would do, the places she wanted to see. She wanted to run, play hockey and basketball again. We were in great hope that medicines would work and would stop cancer spreading further.
God, on whom we laid utmost faith, dedication and prayers, didn't help. Tavleen was very eager to live. Who wants to die when life has just started to show its beauty? All our desperate attempts to fight the inevitable truth were failing in front of my eyes. She often hugged me and said, "Mere pyare papa, mujhe theek kar do, mujhe jeena hai, koi to aisee dawa hogi jo muje theek kar degi" (My dear Papa, please heal me, I want to live. Is there any medicine that can cure me). Nothing was in my hands; I was a mere spectator, who watched his lovely daughter go away for ever. On the blackest day of my life, 12th October 2008, God plucked away my beautiful flower and I could not do anything.
The courage, willpower and fighting attitude (learnt from Guru Gobind Singh Ji's lines 'Na daro, Na taro, jab jaye laro, nischaya kar apni jeet karo') shown by my daughter was incredible Every time I look up at the sky, I can see three stars near to moon; I talk to them when I am lonely and console myself. "I know you are here with me Tavleen". Sometimes I ask God, "Why did my beautiful doll go through this atrocity; I was to live with her. Can you answer for the reason behind this injustice done to my daughter, to my family, to me?"
This home is incomplete without you, my dear Tavleen. "Chidiyaa ud gayi, ghar akelaa rah gaya". I always love you and miss you my daughter.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table align="center" width="700"> <tbody> <tr> <td width=""> Story of Tavleen: (shared by Ravneet Pal Singh - EcoSikh)
</td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-family: arial; line-height: 100%;"> Tavleen Foundation is an Indore based Sikh Organisation committed to human values and social awareness. Tavleen was founded by Dr. Gurmeet Singh Narang to fulfil his daughter (Tavleen's) dreams and spread her light around, just how she wanted it to be. Tavleen was a passionate Sikh girl who was very sensitive about environment, and always insisted her parents and school teachers for plantations and nature care. She often visited gurudwaras for prayer and orphanage centres for helping the needy children. Even at a young age, her vision and mission in life was surprisingly clear. Though her self-motivation helped her fight bone cancer successfully the first time, God's will made her fate fall short when cancer re-emerged.
At age 15, one day from the window, Tavleen looked at her garden and asked her father, "My dear Dad, I want to live in this beautiful world, look at the butterflies, squirrels, roses, sunflowers, listen to the chirruping of birds, gaze into the vast sky. I want to live; please give me such a medicine that can cure me. I have to do a lot in this beautiful world; I have to read, write, sing and play santoor". Despite the medical therapies and aids, her family watched the beautiful, brave and lovely girl pass away. The dreaded disease plucked this wonderful angel forever on 11th October 2008. The battle she fought with cancer is a story of great inspiration, may it be her courage or optimism, sensitivity or rationalism. She dreamt of a beautiful world and now Tavleen foundation is fulfilling her wishes.
Tavleen loved to sketch and paint butterflies and flowers; hence the foundation has been celebrating Sikh Environment Day and inspiring the sangat. Tavleen foundation has conducted kirtan darbars on nature theme, seminars and activities for kids, like sit and paint to connect them to nature. This year they will be distributing Tavleen Eco-Book in sangat and inspire them to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Tavleen once, wrote a letter to the then President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam to express her love for environment, this was the second time she wrote to him, to receive his response.
These letters and other art work by Tavleen is published by her father's (Dr. Gurmeet Narang) permission.
The second time she got response from the President of India:
Tavleen's letters expresses all she could do at that age and her vision when she would grow up but God has his own ways.
</td> <td>
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="line-height: 100%; font-family: arial;" align="center" width="">Tavleen's artwork</td></tr></tbody></table> This year Tavleen Foundation releases a 13 page PDF booklet, Tavleen Eco-Booklet on the occasion of Sikh Environment Day 2013, dedicated to Guru Har Rai Sahib on his Gurgaddi Diwas, who inspired us to care for nature and whose legacy provided one of the most inspiring models for our ecological consciousness.
This little booklet throws light on various prospects of environment to practice and make contribution for our living planet. Every page has a different thought to feel and digest; it speaks on how we feel when there is a power cut, how being vegetarian is being earth friendly, how water is so precious and its worth will grow in future, and various other thoughts like travelling and carbon footprint and much more. Click here to download and print the booklet.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
March 11, 2013 by Contribution from EcoSikh and SikhNet Team Compilation
Source - http://www.sikhnet.com/news/tavleens-last-wish
<table align="center" width="600"> <tbody> <tr> <td>
(In the words of father, Dr. Gurmeet Singh Narang)
</td></tr> <tr> <td style="line-height: 100%; font-family: arial;" width=""> On 16th June, 1993, I and my wife Daisy were blessed with God's most beautiful gift, a healthy female child who we named- 'Tavleen'. It was a moment of great celebration as our dream baby girl was born. She made our lives a beautiful journey through her sweetness. Physically normal and intelligent Tavleen, started going to school at age four. In the year 1998, we were again blessed by a baby, this time a boy who we named 'Simar'. Even more than us, Tavleen was crazy about her brother. Our family was so well knit, as if the sweet heavens have settled amongst us four.
I could see obvious joy on the faces of Daisy and Tavleen after the arrival of Sahaj. Despite our efforts, our misery prevailed, and my wife was diagnosed with acute failure of her both kidneys. After 3 months of extreme struggle for life, she sank to death, despite our sincere efforts and prayers. I was absolutely shattered at that moment. Tavleen was 9 at that time. I gathered my inner self and started living for my children. I had to change myself to take full care of them. I was pretty astonished to see many changes in Tavleen. Coming back from the doom, she was now a more composed and independent girl. She took care of her school uniform, bag, study room, homework on her own. Not only this, she took care of her younger brother as well. She became more mature than her age. Our life gradually began attaining a normal pace.
Tavleen was very fond of reading books and had a sound collection. She also learnt singing and playing santoor from her school music teacher. At age 12, she mastered the instrument and won medals in the same as well. Tavleen was highly interested in meeting people and celebrities. She got an opportunity to meet Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Past President of India. In their talk, he inspired Tavleen to take care of the city and country by maintaining cleanliness and to save the environment by planting trees. He also enlightened her to do something for the orphans. This meeting left a deep impression on Tavleen and she began visiting an orphanage in her leisure time.
Tavleen, now 14, was doing very well in life. But God tested our capacities yet again. In June 2007, we were taken aback when Tavleen, after complaining of pain in her knee, was diagnosed with bone cancer in the right knee. Tavleen - my life, my doll, dancing and singing doll- was under this severe attack. Can you believe how difficult it is for a father to inform his daughter about her suffering from cancer? We were in a total wreck and I was once again in a no man's land. 'Where is God?'- Tavleen questioned me. I had no answer. Tavleen, surprisingly, responded that she knew what the doctors were talking about. And that she understood what I was going through. She hugged me and said, "Papa, God has once again put us for a test. I have accepted this. I will face it and come out as a winner". I realized that these should have been my words to her!
After various consultations, I took my lovely daughter to Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai where she underwent various tests for three days. The doctors confirmed the problem as osteosarcoma- a type of bone cancer. She was recommended to undergo nine chemotherapy treatments and one major surgery to remove the tumor from the knee. Related side effects of the treatment were also explained that she will lose her long beautiful hair, she cannot go to school for almost a year. We were also told that cancer existed in her leg only and nowhere else in her body. Doctors explained if she takes full treatment, she will be cancer free and that we were at the best medical centre of Asia. Tavleen didn't even panic. She was calm and composed. I was looking my daughter's face and complaining to God for what he did to us; that a young girl will have to face so much. On the contrary, she assured the doctors that she will cooperate to full extent. She had full faith in God and the doctors.
Tavleen was admitted in the hospital the next day and went through pre-chemotherapy procedures. She was to first receive 3 chemotherapies, then surgery and then 6 more chemotherapies. It took nine long months for all these processes. There were several moments during this course that I panicked, but Tavleen was focused to battle with the situation. She never lost willpower and confidence and always remembered God. She talked to her friends, relatives, teachers, uncles and discussed her studies when in the hospital. Not a single person could get the hint of her pain, her tone used to be that unruffled.
During her treatment, she lost her hair. One day, she was searching on her laptop for a good design for her wig. When she told doctors, "I am searching for the best wig design", doctors remarked, "You are a very brave girl". She researched on the internet to find out something new about treatment and disease. All along her treatment, she read good books, discussed with doctors about her recovery status, checked her charts which were prepared by nurses, saw the reports etc. She took briefings about her recovery and diets, noted them down in her diary; placed posters and clippings of positive thoughts and willpower on the board in her room. Even the doctors and nurses read the inspiring posters regularly. She chatted on internet, heard 'gurbani' on her laptop and prayed in the morning and evening daily. Even under painful conditions, she never lost the smile on her face. Finally, the day came when she got discharged from the hospital and was back home. Before leaving the hospital, she touched her forehead on the hospital floor, for she believed, "This is also a temple. I have recovered here only".
Tavleen regained momentum in life. She took a healthy diet, her weight increased by 10 kgs and after two month's rest, she rejoined her school. Tavleen had won the battle against cancer, as doctors also agreed. She accompanied me to Amritsar to pay gratitude to Lord. Her hair grew again, her eating, walking, laughter restored as before. She glowed with the grace on her face. Her medicines continued as a precautionary measure. She kept herself busy with her books, hanging out, appreciating music. I thanked God for her startling face. If she ever saw me gloomy, she cheered me up with her motivating diets. In this wonderful atmosphere, I forgot the entire past nightmare.
In May 2008, she was taken for a follow up check-up. After a brief investigation, doctors informed that cancer had spread to her chest. I was stunned, thoughtless and speechless! I looked up to God, and painfully pleaded, "What have you written for her, what wrong has she done? Why again?" I was in a total mess, thinking how she would take this shocking news of her ten month long treatment going in vain. Doctors could not reply. Actually, these days, doctors don't do their job with sincerity. They need numbers to prepare a data bank and write success stories. I took the bold step and told her. For the first time she broke into tears. She hugged me and said, "For how long will this treatment last. Did we not do our best? Why did this happen again". I was speechless and agonized. She told God, "Once again you have dragged me in this down cast; I will not give up; I will fight again". I hugged her tightly and kissed her with love. Doctors advised me to chose either two surgeries plus chemotherapies or go for alternate medicines. After taking many advices from doctors and medical professionals, we finally chose the path of alternative medicine looking at many people get benefits out of it.
Tavleen had now turned more courageous. She developed superb positive mental framework. She encouraged herself, "I want to live". She began doing pranic healing, pranayaam and reikei. She searched for anti cancer diet and followed it religiously. Her message to God was loud and clear- she was determined to fight cancer and left no room for any negative thought. She contacted worldwide medical professionals, working on controlling cancer, and started following their advice too. Every day she wrote in her diary when she would recover, what she would do, the places she wanted to see. She wanted to run, play hockey and basketball again. We were in great hope that medicines would work and would stop cancer spreading further.
God, on whom we laid utmost faith, dedication and prayers, didn't help. Tavleen was very eager to live. Who wants to die when life has just started to show its beauty? All our desperate attempts to fight the inevitable truth were failing in front of my eyes. She often hugged me and said, "Mere pyare papa, mujhe theek kar do, mujhe jeena hai, koi to aisee dawa hogi jo muje theek kar degi" (My dear Papa, please heal me, I want to live. Is there any medicine that can cure me). Nothing was in my hands; I was a mere spectator, who watched his lovely daughter go away for ever. On the blackest day of my life, 12th October 2008, God plucked away my beautiful flower and I could not do anything.
The courage, willpower and fighting attitude (learnt from Guru Gobind Singh Ji's lines 'Na daro, Na taro, jab jaye laro, nischaya kar apni jeet karo') shown by my daughter was incredible Every time I look up at the sky, I can see three stars near to moon; I talk to them when I am lonely and console myself. "I know you are here with me Tavleen". Sometimes I ask God, "Why did my beautiful doll go through this atrocity; I was to live with her. Can you answer for the reason behind this injustice done to my daughter, to my family, to me?"
This home is incomplete without you, my dear Tavleen. "Chidiyaa ud gayi, ghar akelaa rah gaya". I always love you and miss you my daughter.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table align="center" width="700"> <tbody> <tr> <td width=""> Story of Tavleen: (shared by Ravneet Pal Singh - EcoSikh)
</td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-family: arial; line-height: 100%;"> Tavleen Foundation is an Indore based Sikh Organisation committed to human values and social awareness. Tavleen was founded by Dr. Gurmeet Singh Narang to fulfil his daughter (Tavleen's) dreams and spread her light around, just how she wanted it to be. Tavleen was a passionate Sikh girl who was very sensitive about environment, and always insisted her parents and school teachers for plantations and nature care. She often visited gurudwaras for prayer and orphanage centres for helping the needy children. Even at a young age, her vision and mission in life was surprisingly clear. Though her self-motivation helped her fight bone cancer successfully the first time, God's will made her fate fall short when cancer re-emerged.
The purpose of Tavleen's life was perhaps not live for long years. It was to be useful, to be responsible, and to be compassionate. It was, above all, to matter and to stand for meaningful things, to have made enormous difference in lives around her.
- Dr. Gurmeet Singh Narang (father)
- Dr. Gurmeet Singh Narang (father)
Tavleen loved to sketch and paint butterflies and flowers; hence the foundation has been celebrating Sikh Environment Day and inspiring the sangat. Tavleen foundation has conducted kirtan darbars on nature theme, seminars and activities for kids, like sit and paint to connect them to nature. This year they will be distributing Tavleen Eco-Book in sangat and inspire them to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Tavleen once, wrote a letter to the then President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam to express her love for environment, this was the second time she wrote to him, to receive his response.
These letters and other art work by Tavleen is published by her father's (Dr. Gurmeet Narang) permission.
The second time she got response from the President of India:
Tavleen's letters expresses all she could do at that age and her vision when she would grow up but God has his own ways.
<table align="center" width=""> <tbody> <tr> <td width="">
This little booklet throws light on various prospects of environment to practice and make contribution for our living planet. Every page has a different thought to feel and digest; it speaks on how we feel when there is a power cut, how being vegetarian is being earth friendly, how water is so precious and its worth will grow in future, and various other thoughts like travelling and carbon footprint and much more. Click here to download and print the booklet.
