SHREWSBURY – DR. Nandana Kansra, a physician and assistant professor at UMass Medical School, lives in Shrewsbury and has been working around the clock to raise resources for Hurricane Helene victims.
“Volunteering is a way of life,” Kansra said.
The hurricane first made landfall in Florida on September 26. The death toll has now surpassed 200 in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia, making it the fourth deadliest hurricane to hit the US mainland since 1950. the deadliest since Katrina in 2005.
With the help of North Carolina-based physician Jennifer Beatty, a group of doctors from Shrewsbury and two social media “mom groups,” they were able to raise $20,000 and send 85 vials of insulin to the affected area.
The group uses volunteer aircraft as part of Operation Airdrop, a nonprofit organization founded in Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey that provides relief in the aftermath of natural disasters.
Operation Airdrop says there is an urgent need for supplies including waterproof mattress protectors, special baby food, distilled water, dehumidifiers, bee and hornet killers and baby blankets.
Kansra – who has volunteered in the past in Haiti, Guatemala and Mississippi – said the area is currently in dire need of insulin, EpiPens and general emergency supplies.
Kansra accepts EpiPens directly at its office, located at 112 Turnpike Road, Suite 301, in Westborough. She also accepts donations via Venmo at @Nandana-Kansra or @Lavalampy, and has created an Amazon wishlist for the items most needed.
Rescued pets in need of a home
In the meantime, the MSPCA has accepted dozens of animals rescued from the hurricane, and is asking for both donations and forever homes for cats and dogs in need.
This week, the agency brought 34 dogs from eastern Tennessee to Massachusetts. They were all in shelters before the storm hit the area.
“As we witness the heartbreaking devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, we are doing everything we can to bring hope to the animals affected by this disaster,” the MSPCA wrote in a news release.
“Our partners there [in Tennessee] are experiencing significant flooding, and they expect an influx of surrendered and displaced animals as a result of the hurricane,” explains MSPCA-Angell Vice President of Animal Services Mike Keiley. “These transports of dogs who were living in shelters prior to the storm will allow these groups to help more local animals affected.”
In addition, the MSPCA has sent a group of staff members to Florida to help transport 16 cats, including a few kittens, to Massachusetts. The animals should be available for adoption soon and will be part of an adoption event called Purranormal Cativity, to help find forever homes for the felines in need.
“Given everything they are dealing with, we want to help in any way we can,” Keiley said. “Our staff will provide some relief to workers who desperately need it, while the transportation will free up much-needed space in the shelter, and the cats couldn’t come to us at a better time.”
“Given the deteriorating conditions, it is imperative that the animals leave Asheville [in North Carolina]which also allows shelter staff to get the area to safety,” the MSPCA added. “We are working around the clock to get these animals to safety here in Massachusetts, even though the lines of communication are down. The situation is fluid, but we have provided space for as many as 75 animals and our team is ready.”
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Central Mass. Doctors gather supplies for Hurricane Helene relief
