Helping Hands
Oxygen Plus donates portable oxygen canisters to India’s epicenters
amid COVID-19 Crisis...
The rising COVID-19 crisis in India has left a large number
of people without access to life-saving medical supplies, including
supplemental oxygen, which is widely used to treat
the disease. In response, U.S. recreational oxygen supplier Oxygen
Plus, Edina, MN, has donated more than 40,000 self-administered
oxygen canisters to Indians suffering from the pandemic in
and around metropolitan areas of Delhi and Mumbai. With both
grassroots and governmental support, the Oxygen Plus donation—
which shipped May 5—has been expedited for delivery to people
with depleted oxygen levels and shortness of breath through a
collaborative on-the-ground effort.
Pivotal in this endeavor was Paras Shah, Director of Tri-Pac,
Inc., South Bend, IN—a company that exclusively manufactures
Oxygen Plus canisters. Because of personal ties to India, Shah felt
an urgency to provide life-saving resources to the country, which,
as SPRAY goes to print, has seen more than 260,000 COVID-19
related deaths. Shah enlisted Lauren Carlstrom, COO of Oxygen
Plus, to donate portable oxygen to India.
“I am grateful to Oxygen Plus for graciously stepping in with a
donation that will literally help save lives,” said Shah. “Although
we can’t completely fix the situation, we believe that a combination
of smaller efforts can have a positive impact.”
As cases continue to spike, reports reveal Indians have been
forced to wait in lines—sometimes overnight—to obtain oxygen
for loved ones experiencing breathing complications. The ability
to distribute oxygen has been a challenge. The lightweight O+
canisters—each offering 220+ breaths of oxygen—will be distributed
through a free donation drive via oxygen clinics, coordinated
by humanitarian aid organization the Hemkunt Foundation, with
fundraising support from other Indian-owned businesses as well
as support from state politicians in charge of bilateral relations
between the U.S. and India.
32 Spray June 2021
In the U.S., Oxygen Plus, whose
products are manufactured in an
FDA-registered facility, received an
overwhelming number of positive
testimonials from COVID-19 patients
and their families, according
to the company.
“Oxygen Plus is proud to have
helped thousands of new U.S.-
based customers ‘catch their breath’
since the pandemic started, and
is now poised to do the same in
India,” the firm noted.
“This is the first time that
Oxygen Plus products will be
widely available in Southeast Asia
since the company was founded in
2003.”
“We always knew the impact that
recreational oxygen would have on
those experiencing various health
concerns as a result of altitude, air
pollution, overexertion from exercise and more,” said
Carlstrom.
“We didn’t anticipate the impact we’d have in the
midst of a global pandemic. Oxygen Plus is honored
to provide some form of relief to the people of India
through this donation and collaboration.” Spray
Oxygen Plus COO Lauren Carlstrom inspects the shipment going to
India. (Top right) More than 40,000 Oxygen Plus O+ Biggi canisters,
each containing 220+ breaths of oxygen, were donated and shipped to
India in May amid the COVID-19 crisis.
From Indiana to India—donations leave the Tri-Pac warehouse.