This was originally posted on September 15, 2005
It is with great sadness that I bring this news.
Gurleen Bedi (Shallu) of Delhi, India passed away on the 25th of August after coming down with a viral fever the previous day.
Gurleen was a special friend of mine. We talked online many times and she gave me great insight into life as a thal in India.
She was a woman of true sincerity who showed a constant concern for my wife as my wife went through chemotherapy.
Gurleen told me that she had made very few friends in her life and was happy to call me her friend and I felt honored to be her friend. I will miss her greatly.
I would like to express my condolences to her family and let them know that we are praying for them. It is a great loss for them and our hearts go out to them in love.
Andy
My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family,may her SOUL be in peace.
with regards
pplrjsh
My condolences to the bereaved family and friends.
May Gurleen Bedi rest in peace.
Rest in peace sleeping angel.
Miaki
My condolences to her family and friends.
How old was she?
Asma
My condolence to her family and friends.
May God give peace to her soul.
Deependra Solanky
Hi,
I believe Gurleen was 28 years old.
I have been re-reading some talks I had with her and once again I am struck by how disappointed she was with so many things in her life. She felt let down by the care she received for thal and for hepatitis. She felt let down by a working world that would not give her a chance because of her thal, even though she was well educated and well qualified. She once told me that she felt her life was a waste because she hadn't been able to accomplish many of the things she had hoped to do. I told her that she should never measure herself by material success, but rather by what was in her heart and that she had a good heart and that I thought she should know that was what was important. She was a good person with a pure heart. I feel honored to have known her for she was one of the most honest and sincere people I have ever known.
I will soon be visiting the country that was her home as I attend the thal conference in Pune, India in October. I chose India for my first conference because I feel that more awareness needs to be created about the difficulties facing thal patients in countries where there are not enough resources and so much needs to be done to bring thal care up to the same level as it is in western countries and Australia. Gurleen is just one of the people who would have had a better chance if she had access to the same type of care many patients take for granted. There are so many patients who face these problems every day. I was talking to a doctor in Pakistan this week who told me that at his center they are now able to transfuse patients but giving desferal is out of the reach of so many patients because they cannot afford pumps.
We need to create more awareness and find solutions for these patients. This will have to involve the thal organizations and also the drug companies and even the governments of many countries. Yes, these are grand dreams, but nothing will ever change unless we all work to make these dreams reality. Every little thing you can do to help another or spread awareness is a piece of what needs to be done. Don't ever feel like your own contribution has no meaning, because it does have real meaning. I have found that the words I type here reach a far greater audience than I ever would have imagined, and that my efforts have meant far more than I ever knew. I am both humbled and encouraged by this. I can make a difference and so can anyone. Please, let us all do any little thing we can that will help someone else's life better.
Thank you,
Andy
My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, may her SOUL be in peace.
From All ur sisters and brothers of thalassaemics
Adnan Jamil
Yes Andy You rightly said that any one and every one can make a big difference. I have seen situation changing since my childhood days when parents of thal patient themselfs never wanted their children to get exposed to the commercial world.
Children are kept over protected thinking that being thal patient they should not take extra burden of studies. But fortunately my parents thought in a different way. First of all all the parents have to change their perception and accept that a thal child is as normal as anybody else. And I believe that will be the beginning of it...................
Puneet Dhiman
Very well said ManulSingh (Puneet) , I'm a thal patient myself and my parents pushed me out to deal with what life has to offer and not offer you, and I have also seen alot of the parents cottonwool their children whether it be with thal or any other disorder. As a parent myself yes you try to proctect your child from anything or being exposed to anything but in actual fact some do more harm than good.
What ever condition you have or haven't got you must fall and get back up to know what its like to feel pain and you only learn from that.
Miaki 
A short time ago I received this message from Gurleen's father.
hi,
Gurleens Dad dis side.Lovely 2 c ur mail.GURLEEN was my precious daughter she use 2 tel abut her members of thalessemic club.She was always talkin abut u. U vr perhaps d only best frend. I can never 4gt gurleen n her frends.PLZ ask everybody 2 talk 2 me abut Gurleen.plz tel us abut her passions,hobbies,n special mentioned narations .Myself n my wife r rememberin her all d time dat is 24hrs though my younger daughter Smiley a great inspiration n moral booster 4 me.I think al of u r shadows of GURLEEN.
Gurleen was a special friend of mine and I will always miss her.