Indian-American physician, dancer using artistic talent to raise funds for hospital

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An Indian-American physician who is also an accomplished classical dancer, is performing at an event to raise funds for the healthcare facility where she works.

Dr. Sangita Rangala, medical director of the Edward Hospital Care Center, is partnering with the Edward Foundation and Anand Dance to produce “Sacred,” a live Indian dance event that will benefit the Care Center which provides medical examinations, evidence collection and related referral services for sexually abused children and special needs adults.

“Sacred” will feature an original work of Indian classical dance and music created to honor survivors of child abuse, which will be performed Sept. 8, at Pfeiffer Hall on the campus of North Central College, in Naperville, Illinois, according to a press release from the Care Center.

“The best of us forget our innate value sometimes,” Dr. Rangala is quoted saying in the press release, adding, “Children who have been mistreated and misused – they tend to forget even more. They start to believe there is no value, that there’s nothing inside. If we can shine a light for them, wake them up and help them see what we see – that they are true heroes, shining lights that inspire the rest of us, bright souls, worthy of respect, deserving of dignity, undeniably perfect. If we can help them to consider that idea, then there’s no stopping them.”

Dr. Rangala has headed the institution since 2001 and has been on 24-hour call for most of the past 18 of the 29 years that the Care Center has been in existence.

Established in 1990, the Care Center serves a nine-county area, as well as the FBI, military bases and Department of Homeland Security.

In addition to being an Emergency Medicine specialist, Dr. Rangala is a dancer and choreographer in the Kuchipudi and Odissi styles of Indian classical dance, trained by renowned gurus Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam and Kelucharan Mohapatra.

Featuring original choreography and a live orchestra, “Sacred” seeks to bring together the Indian-American community, art lovers, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, social service agencies and all in Chicagoland who care about children’s welfare and protection, the press release said.

“So many Indo-Americans, like me, care deeply about children and work in health care and social services,” says Dr. Rangala. “I want to use Indian classical dance, my art form, to help unite everyone in this community who cares about preventing and overcoming sexual abuse.”

The recent passage of House Bill 5245 requires Illinois hospitals to provide sexual abuse examinations or have a referral agreement with an area provider.

Since most hospitals don’t provide these types of examinations for children, Care Center patient volumes are expected to increase, which means more of the Center’s nurses will need Sexual Abuse Nurse Examiners (SANE) training, the press release said.

Proceeds from “Sacred” will offset educational costs for nurses to achieve SANE certification and fund patient care expenses for children seen at the Care Center.

In the past year, the Care Center treated nearly 160 patients from multiple counties including Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, McLean and Will. Entities and individuals referring children include Illinois Dept. of Children & Family Services, local police departments, FBI, Homeland Security, social service agencies, parents, friends, schools, military bases, healthcare professionals, hospital emergency departments and Children’s Advocacy Centers.

For more information, to purchase tickets to or become a sponsor of the event, visit www.EEHealth.org/Sacred or call (630) 527-3954.