Volunteering: Evolving by touching lives – Dr. K. V. Ganpathy, Mumbai Context: Mr Ananth (name changed), the sole breadwinner in his family, was a Mathematics teacher by profession. He was referred to the Department of Palliative Medicine with relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). He was well aware of his prognosis and was accompanied by his…
Read MoreOnce a Volunteer, always a volunteer! – Mr. Akhil Valsarajan and Ms. Padmaja P. Gopi, Thrissur “Listen with ears of tolerance,see through the eyes of compassion,speak with the language of love.”– Rumi. This message from Rumi resonates with every volunteer at the Pain and Palliative Care Society (PPCS), Thrissur. Through this article, we, Akhil and…
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Leveling up the Emotional Quotient: It’s scope in the Technocratic Oncosurgical suite – Dr. Mayank Gupta and Dr. Nimish Singh, Bathinda The unsettling squeeze of hand and a frantic appeal to “save” her, by a lady about to undergo a hemi-mandibulectomy set an undertone of empathy and sadness in our minds. Her apprehension about who…
Read MoreThe Need and Role of Palliative Care for Diabetic Patients – Dr. Anuja Damani (Manipal), Dr. Arun Ghoshal (Toronto) Diabetes is one of the commonest non communicable diseases in India. According to a global survey published in 2019, India ranks 2nd among the countries with highest number of diabetic adults. 77 million people were living…
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Gender’s role in disabling help seeking behaviours – Ms. Keshav Sharma, New Delhi Polarities are abundant in nature: Day & Night, Highs & Lows, Light & Shadow, and so on. They co-exist and beautifully complement each other in what is seen as a grand display of a virtuous balance. One such polarity is that of…
Read MorePages from the Diary of a Palliative Care Counsellor – Ms. Vandana Mahajan, Mumbai Context: I am a Palliative care counselor and have been counseling cancer patients for over 7 years now. I am associated with a cancer NGO, Cope with cancer-Madat Trust, and currently work at the Thoracic Disease Management Group (DMG) of Tata…
Read MorePalliative care for patients with (COPD) – an essential unmet need – Dr. Rajani Bhat, Bengaluru November 17th is observed as World COPD Day around the world in over 50 countries. Clinicians, research professionals and patient advocacy groups come together to raise awareness about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive…
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An urgent need for Palliative care models for chronic mental illness – Dr. Chitra Venkateswaran, Kochi, Kerala World Mental Health Day was commemorated on October 11th, 2021 with a focus on “Mental health in an unequal world”. This rings so clearly alongside this year’s World Hospice and Palliative Care Day theme, ‘Leave no one behind; equity…
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The evolving social narrative of ‘Poverty’: A random recollection – M. K. V. Hamza, New Delhi Poverty is not having enough resources to meet one’s basic needs. The onset of chronic or terminal diseases aggravates an individual’s existing situation and pushes them into a state of deprivation; a possible aggregate deprivation of physical, psychological, financial…
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Let’s discuss palliative care for our pets! – Ms. Crystal Pereira, New Delhi “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man.” — Mark Twain It was 4 years ago that I entered the fascinating, delightful, and ever-giving…
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