What is inspiring you now?

[Fulbright podcast transcript]

Hello everyone, this is Sue Royappa, I am a physician specializing in internal medicine and global public health. I was a Fulbright researcher in India for 9 months in 2017-2018.

I am amazed by the miracle of modern science and technology. There’s been significant erosion of trust in science the world over, I’m hoping this pandemic will open the eyes of people to how different their lives would have been if not for science and technology. Within a matter of weeks, scientists were able to sequence all the different strains of Covid-19 and share it with the entire medical and scientific community. This would have been impossible even just a couple of decades ago. In the past, I would have had to wait for months and possibly a couple of years for the information to be discovered, for it to be published and for the library to have a copy of this journal, which would most likely have a months long waiting list to check out. But now this same information is at my fingertips almost instantaneously. It is equally incredible that human trial for vaccines have already begun and there is real hope that we can vanquish this disease forever. Thanks to supercomputers, researchers screened 8,000 compounds in a matter of days and identified 77 potentially beneficial compounds that can treat the virus. Several clinical trials are already underway for using our existing drugs while others are looking for new ones. I fervently hope that effective treatments and vaccines  will help restore the faith in medicine and science that many seem to have lost and that some actively deny.

And finally, I am inspired by how ordinary citizens in India (the country where I did my Fulbright research) have successfully used technology to help the elderly, the disabled and the vulnerable such as the migrant workers, again with little regard for their own safety. Within a day of India announcing their total lockdown, regular folk started Caremongers India on Facebook and Whatsapp, now with tens of thousands of volunteers, reaching out to people in need. These are the people that we cannot forget. These are the stories that we need to share.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱?

I am a very realistic and practical person, so I understand the gravity of what is happening and the massive way in which our lives will be changed. But I am also eternally optimistic and a believer in the goodness of humanity. So I want to tell my friends in India and around the world to not despair. We will all get through this together.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰, 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲?

I have to say that Psych reruns on Netflix have been my savior. I can take my mind off the pandemic and can blissfully and obliviously laugh for an hour. Don’t know if any of you have watched it, a show about a fake psychic detective – very Hollywood and totally delightful.

Also, my acrylic paints and canvases have come out to keep my sanity – I’m painting cherry blossoms right now, I should have been in DC earlier this month among the cherry blossoms, of course I had to cancel my plans, but I’m reliving my visit there last year and bringing the memories to life on canvas.

For now I am trying to stay informed, stay positive and reach out to my community. Wishing everyone who’s listening good health and good spirits. Thank you for listening.