A LOROS patient who says he feels ‘honoured’ to be blessed by living saint, His Holiness Shri Rameshbhai Oza, has described it as a ‘beautiful moment’.
Jeffery Davison, of Loughborough, was one of those who met His Holiness, otherwise known as Bhaishri, during his visit to the Groby Road Hospice today.
Jeffery, 65, who suffers from numerous health conditions, including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asked Bhaishri to bless him because he believes ‘miracles can happen’. “It felt very good,” said Jeffery, who attends day therapy at LOROS.
“I felt a sense of calmness and I felt at ease. Although there were crowds of people surrounding us, for that moment, I felt like it was only us two there.”
LOROS was one of the few places Bhaishri wanted to visit during his time in Leicester, which is the first time he has visited the city in 14 years.
Dozens of visitors turned up to meet Bhaishri, including patients, carers, family members and LOROS staff.
Nilesh Barot, 50, who has throat cancer and was also blessed by Bhaishri, said: “We are a strongly religious household, so this meant more to me than just a meeting, it was a huge honour for me.”
Nilesh, who is currently on the ward at LOROS, said that Bhaishri told him to ‘keep the faith’. “He asked me about LOROS and I told him I really like it at the Hospice. The nurses and care is on another level.
“Bhaishri told me that however much life throws and me, I shouldn’t focus on the bad moments and should make the most of life.”
During the visit, Bhaishri described the hospice as a ‘Karuna Tirtha’, which means a sacred place of compassion, and praised the invaluable work and service offered by the Hospice staff.
"Compassion and service are central pillars of the Hindu way of life. LOROS is providing a critical service to the community. The huge number of patients, families and carers who have benefitted are testament to the amazing work done there,” he added.
Bhaishri, who lives in India, will be spending nearly 10 days in the city, before returning home, as part of the Krishna Speaks, Bhagvat Katha cultural event, which is expected to attract thousands of people from across the globe.
Up to 10,000 people, including many who have travelled from abroad, are expected to gather at Rushey Mead Recreation Ground, Melton Road, to see Bhaishri recite Shrimad Bhagvatam, a religious Hindu text, on a daily basis.
LOROS Ambassador Kishor Mistry, who helped organise the visit said: “It was a fantastic day and the blessings for the patients were so important.
“He came to LOROS to see what the Hospice does and how it helps the whole community, it was very emotional.”
