Search Buddhist Channel
Buddhist chants help revive Cheltenham coma man
Gloucestershire Echo, April 17, 2012
Cheltenham, UK -- WHEN pensioner Frank Soo suffered horrific head injuries in a car accident in Cheltenham, doctors gave him little chance of survival.
<< HEARTENED: Frank Soo and his wife of 49 years, Kitty
The 73-year-old, who lives in Pittville, was left in a coma for five days, clinging to life by a thread.
In a desperate bid to stimulate his senses, relatives played Buddhist chanting in his ward at Cheltenham General Hospital.
Amazingly, he began to respond within minutes, opening his eyes for the first time.
Now he is talking, moving and eating – albeit from his hospital bed – and looks set to confound medical experts by making a full recovery.
His daughter Karen Soo, 39, said: "It has been an incredible turnaround.
"We had to prepare ourselves for the worst.
"But he has always had a very strong constitution and we knew if anyone could pull through it was him.
"He was unconscious for five days and on a life support machine. But when we started playing the music, his condition improved straightaway. First of all he opened his eyes.
"Then he was able to squeeze his right hand and move his limbs. He is taking small steps every day. It is amazing to see."
The accident took place on March 15, during Race Week, when Mr Soo, a stalwart of All Saints Church, was walking home from the town centre. He was struck by a silver BMW in North Place.
At the time, police said he was in a life-threatening condition with lacerations to the head and a fractured skull. Officers did not arrest anyone in connection with the incident.
On hearing news of the incident his family rallied round to be at his bedside.
His two sons, Mark and Ian, who live in Thailand, caught the next flight to London to be near him and their mother Kitty – Frank's wife of 49 years.
Karen said the whole family had been heartened by his progress.
And she put his remarkable recovery down to an inner strength inherited from his father Soo Yow, who arrived in Cheltenham in 1948 and founded what is thought to be the town's first Chinese restaurant – Ah Chow, at the site of what is now the Mayflower, in Clarence Street.
"I don't know how to describe it, but my dad has always been very resilient," she added.
"He has had a calmness about him and takes everything in his stride. We knew if anyone could make it, he could. And he is proving us right.
"There is still a long road to making a full recovery but we are very hopeful now. The hospital staff have been fantastic and we would like to thank them for all they have done.
"It just shows – you should never give up hope."
Buddhist AI Chat Bot NORBU!
(Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding)
For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:
Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118
Note: Please indicate your name in the payment slip. Thank you.
Dear Friends in the Dharma,
We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.
Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:
One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.
How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.
For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:
Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118
Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.
Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.
Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.
Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.
Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.
Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!
May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,
With deepest gratitude,
Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team
Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau
We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.
If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv