PHILANTHROPIC PRODIGY

PHILANTHROPIC PRODIGY

Shaan Khurana never met his grandmother, Swadesh Khurana. She passed away before he was born. The 11-year-old boy, who enjoys acting and playing basketball, says he feels connected to his grandmother by carrying on her tradition of helping others. “Helping other people was healing to my Dadi Ji (grandmother) and now to me,” says Shaan. “I am going to continue what she did and what my grandfather is doing.” Balwant Khurana, Shaan’s grandfather, is generously endowing The Swadesh Khurana Endowment in Stroke Care at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. He began the endowment in 2008 after his wife, Shaan’s grandmother, unexpectedly died from stroke. Shaan and his 5-year-old sister, Seva Khurana, are opting to continue a generous and unique way of celebrating their birthdays that their parents, Dr. Sippi Khurana and Ajay Khurana, began for the children when they were younger. In lieu of birthday presents, the family encourages friends to make gifts of any size to the fund in his grandmother’s name.

“I realize that helping people is a gift in itself,” says Shaan. “Other people need my birthday gifts more than I do, and I want to contribute and help other people like Dadi Ji did. It makes my grandfather very happy to remember her.” “My mother-in-law was very giving of her resources and her time,” says Shaan’s mother, Dr. Khurana. “My husband and I want helping others to be a core value for our children.” All Khurana family members are committed to furthering stroke awareness and education focused on initiatives for patients, health care professionals and the community. “The Khurana family has been instrumental in moving stroke care and research forward significantly at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital,” says Keith Barber, CEO of Houston Methodist Willowbrook and senior vice president of Houston Methodist. “Our stroke care program can provide unparalleled service and patient outcomes, in part due to the longstanding relationship we have with the Khurana family. Their generosity spans multiple generations and has ingrained them as a vital part of the Houston Methodist Willowbrook family.” Annually, Shaan presents a check to Houston Methodist Willowbrook leadership during an awards luncheon that honors stroke caregivers. The event occurs in The Swadesh Khurana Healing Garden in the hospital, which visually represents her legacy. “Presenting the check fills me with joy, because I am playing a part in helping to save lives,” explains Shaan. “That makes me feel closer to her.” Dr. Khurana says she is gratified that Houston Methodist Willowbrook has become a state-of-the-art stroke care facility. “The idea is no one would suffer the same fate that she did,” says Dr. Khurana. “Houston Methodist has become a part of our extended family. It is that personal and that fulfilling.”