What do hockey players Joaquim Carvalho, Marcellus Gomes, Cedric DSouza, Merwyn Fernandes and Viren Rasquinha have in common?
They have all been coached at some point by Oliver Andrade, 74, currently receiving treatment for a host of ailments in Holy Family Hospital in Bandra.
The man, who served hockey in the city for 40 years, has a number of problems septicaemia, cellulitis, bedsores and kidney failure.
Send get well wishes to ailing hockey coach Andrade here
Andrade was admitted on September 8 after his wife, Mabel, found him running a high fever, said Andrades nephew Edwin Caeiro, who is on hand at the hospital. The high intake of insulin, which the treatment for that demanded, caused a near kidney failure. That was averted by two fasciotomy operations.
Dr Amit Dhapre, who alongwith Dr Alan Soares is treating Andrade, said, Though he is recovering, the lack of any exercise for the last 50 days have made his joints stiff. The physiotherapy provided by the hospital is insufficient and he will need a private therapist before he can go home. He is mentally alert to what is going on around him.
Also, a bedsore has been troubling him. Surgery is the only solution to prevent the infection from reaching the bone, which could be fatal.
The surgery will be performed today.
Though Andrades condition is now stable, there are regular bouts of high fever in the evenings followed by shivering which is extending his stay at Holy Family.
All through the day, there is a steady flow of well-wishers and friends who have also contributed to Andrades treatment.
The daily hospital bills have had a telling effect on his finances, said Caeiro (almost Rs 2 lakh have been spent in 50 days Andrade has been in hospital).
* All contributions towards Oliver Andrades treatment can be forwarded to the Holy Family hospital and tax exemption can be availed on the amounts
* To wish Oliver Andrade a fast recovery, post your messages on www.mid-day.com
Andrades aid to Bandra
During his term as municipal councillor, Oliver Andrade worked for the betterment of Bandra.
* Andrade, who advocated good health, went out of his way to transform a dumping ground into a jogging track. It was aptly named Joggers Park. The gate bears a plaque that reads From Sir With Love.
* The filthy conditions in which slum dwellers lived at Mount Marys and Khar Danda, resulted in new toilets and slum development schemes which benefited Bandra on the whole.
* The promenades at Carter Road and Bandstand were the brainchild of Andrade.
* He had a reservoir built at Pali Hill to solve the constant water shortage problem faced by the residents.
* He held hockey camps during vacations at the St Andrews ground. International hockey players Joaquim Carvalho, Marcellus Gomes, Merwyn Fernandes, Cedric DSouza and Viren Rasquinha are the products of these camps.
* Andrade has been actively involved with sports till date and is the president of the Joggers Park Athletic Association, which will be organising a meet in November for budding athletes.
* He was the sports teacher in St Andrews, St Stanislaus, St Theresa in Bandra, Sacred Hearts in Santacruz and St Pauls at Dadar.
AD
Can never forget his teachings
He was the driving force and I owe my success to his rigorous training. The nuggets of information that he gave helped us become better players. The entire 1976 junior national squad owes its success to him.
Joaquim Carvalho (Olympian)
He taught us how to play in the true spirit of the game. Though he was strict, he had a soft side too, it has benefited many people and he has turned many ordinary boys into remarkable sportsmen. His teachings are etched in my mind and I can never forget them.
Marcellus Gomes (international, member of the 1976 junior national team)
He fine-tuned our basics and the training that we got from him on ball distribution, have been useful. It is sad that such a person has to go through all the troubles. I pray that he gets well soon.
Merwyn Fernandes (Olympian, who travelled from Ambernath to Andrades camps in Bandra)
He always encouraged and motivated us to give our best on the field. He was instrumental in me playing the game. Today, I owe my success to him. He has stood by me throughout and his support has helped me a lot. I pray to God that he recovers as soon as possible.
Cedric DSouza (international, former India coach)
He spotted me in one of the camps and asked me to play as a centre-half for St Stanislaus and since then, I have been playing in the same position. I am deeply indebted to him and I hope he gets well soon.
Viren Rasquinha (current international)
