Moy Moy and Jo

While we mourn the loss of Moy Moy, the dear daughter of our great friend and contributor, Jo McGowan Chopra, we also celebrate her life. Moy Moy was adopted as a tiny, premature baby by Jo and her husband Ravi, who had two biological children at home. She wrote about the experience for us in “Mini Moy Moy” (Fall 1990) which we offer here. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 4, it turned out Moy Moy had a much more debilitating neuromuscular disease, and after the age of 5 she started regressing, losing her learned skills and becoming once more like an infant.

Yet she never lost her beautiful spirit, and her family adored her.

One doctor told her parents Moy Moy wouldn’t live past 10 years old. God had other plans. She died on July 30th, at 28 years old. She has left the world a much better place for those with special needs. Inspired by Moy Moy, Jo joined with others who advocate for the disabled in India and created the Latika Roy Foundation , which includes a children’s school, Karuna Vihar. Each year the Foundation and its projects thrive and grow, bringing education and services to disabled individuals in an area of the world where programs are inadequate and the need is enormous.