Unveiling the Unseen: Individual Heroes
Abdul Hameed K (Moulana), Kavaratti, Lakshadweep
Chair and Founder, Thanal Charitable Organization, Kavaratti, Lakshadweep
A pioneer in homebased palliative care services in Lakshadweep, Mr Moulana has mobilized volunteers, doctors and nurses to provision palliative care services in all the remote islands of Lakshadweep. Under his guidance, a Recognized Medical Institute was established through which opioids (Morphine) and other pain medication freely are now freely available (which was non-existent till then) for the terminal cancer patients in Lakshadweep.
He also took efforts to collaborate with the Australasian Palliative Link International via Project Hamrahi to bring quality palliative care services for the patients at Lakshadweep.
Mr Moulana is also credited with the initiation of a Dialysis center at Amini Island to serve patients from four islands (Amini, Kadmat, Kiltan and Chethlath).
Firoz Banu, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
Coordinator of Palliative Care and Home Health Services at G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hospital, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
The team at G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hospital (GKNMH) thanks Ms Firoz Banu for all the hard work and the time she spends to make life easier not only us, but for also our patients and their families. Ms Banu joined us seven years ago as a Secretary, and has always supported us through our tough times. She is now an efficient leader who co-ordinates the work of the entire team.
Ms Banu’s diligent efforts and attention-to-detail keeps the entire department focused and helps us achieve our goals. She is a super-woman who commutes over 40 kms each day to strike a balance between her work and family. She never fails to keep us motivated and our entire team relies on her to go that extra mile.
Thank you, Firoz Banu! You are our hero!
Hanumanthu, Hyderabad, Telangana
Senior Driver at Sparsh Hospice, Hyderabad, Telangana
Mr Hanumanthu, is the senior most driver at Sparsh Hospice. He has made it easier for the homecare team to expand palliative care services as he drives in a safe and sensitive manner. Over the past five years of being associated with Sparsh Hospice, Mr Hanumanthu has travelled an approx. 36,000 kilometers to facilitate the team to provision palliative care services at a patient’s doorstep.
Mr Hanumanthu’s dedication towards improving the quality of life of an individual allows him to go beyond just providing transportation support, and to also include providing assistance as needed.
Additionally, Mr Hanumanthu also supports the hospice by participating in various awareness campaigns and providing nutritional assistance to low-income families.
Ilyas Hameed, Kozhikode, Kerala
Academic Coordinator, Institute of Palliative Medicine (IPM), Kozhikode, Kerala
Mr Ilyas Hameed began his journey in Palliative Care as a student volunteer. He joined the IPM’s administration team in 2020 and is currently the Academic Coordinator at the Institute.
Mr Ilyas has grown to become a pillar of support for the successful conduct of the institute’s training programs such as the National Fellowship in Palliative Medicine / Nursing and others. Calm and quiet in nature, the ever-smiling Ilyas, fulfils his duties successfully with efficient management skills and dedication.
His commitment to palliative care is more than just a career choice as he offers his services beyond his assigned tasks and official hours of duty. He also takes an active role in other domains such as fundraising, mentoring student volunteers, offering support to patients and their families, and many more. The team at IPM wishes Mr Ilyas the very best in his journey in Palliative Care.
M B Mhalshe, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Senior Deputy Manager, Dr Ernest Borges Memorial Home, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Mr M B Mhalshe is the Senior Deputy Manager at the Dr Ernest Borges Memorial Home, Mumbai, which is affiliated with the Tata Memorial Center at Mumbai. An 84-year-old gentleman, he has been associated with the Tata Memorial Center since 1962, and has been a part of Dr Ernest Borges Memorial Home for the past 22 years.
Famous for his dedicated, disciplined and sincere work, Mr M B Mhalshe works passionately to provide quality services to our patients. Beyond his regular tasks, he also helps bring in funders from all over the world.
Mr M B Mhalshe is a true example of commitment and dedication.
M Surabhi, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Secretary at the Lakshmi Pain and Palliative Care Trust, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Ms Surabhi is a very passionate and a self-motivated individual at the Lakshmi Pain and Palliative Care Trust.
Ms Surabhi is always keen-to-learn and is ready to undertake different tasks at the work place. Her problem-solving approach has helped the Trust during different occasions. Ms Surabhi is also very enthusiastic about participating in initiatives which aim to create awareness for palliative care.
Neeharika Saxena, Gurugram, Haryana
Assistant Manager at the Department of Pain and Palliative Medicine, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, Haryana
Ms Neeharika Saxena is the Assistant Manager at the Department of Pain and Palliative Medicine, at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI).
Ms Neeharika is the backbone of our department. She leaves no stone unturned when it comes to organising and executing departmental activities. Ms Neeharika displays utmost dedication and pays attention to the finest of the details in all her activities.
We are proud to celebrate her!
Pampi Kalita, Guwahati, Assam
Ward Girl (Support Staff) at Department of Palliative Medicine, Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati, Assam
Pampi – This is the name that echoes constantly in the Department of Palliative Medicine, at the Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute!
Ms Pampi Kalita is a spirited soul who is always well-dressed and wears a beautiful smile as she is always ready to help the department in any way as needed. Right from registering patients and triaging these patients, Ms Pampi does everything for the patients. Sometimes, she becomes a navigator, sometimes a counsellor, but she is most certainly someone who wears multiple hats.
Ms Pampi also ensures that everyone at the department gets a cup of tea every now and then so that we are refreshed and active to help and support our patients.
She has and will continue to be our department’s backbone as she continues to help and guide our patients with her soulful kindness.
Pooja Solanki, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Data Entry Operator at the Department of Palliative Medicine, Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Ms Pooja Solanki is the data entry operator at the Department of Palliative Medicine, Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute (GCRI). She is almost always the first contact person from our department to meet with a patient or a caregiver. Ms Solanki is very polite and guides anyone who needs assistance with a calm and empathetic attitude.
Having joined the department in 2017, Ms Solanki is very efficient as she constantly updates the records of GCRI’s Outpatient and Inpatient files (both adult and pediatric patients), maintains the relevant Narcotic details, and also keeps a record of the emergencies attended by the department in the prescribed format. She also scrutinizes the list of Home visits and keeps a record of the same.
Ms Solanki has also participated in the Stanford – India Quality Improvement Collaborative Project, between 2018-2019, to ensure quality record keeping.
Selvi, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Housekeeping Staff at RMD Pain and Palliative Care Trust, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
The team at RMD Pain and Palliative Care Trust (RMD PPCT), would like to celebrate Ms Selvi for her commendable performance and support to our palliative care patients and their caregivers.
Ms Selvi has been associated with RMD PPCT for the past 10 years, as a member of the Housekeeping team. She has been an integral part in helping the institute deliver quality palliative care for our patients and their caregivers.
Despite facing several challenges at home, Ms Selvi sincerely continues her service towards palliative care patients with a honest smile. Even during the Covid pandemic, she continued to handle our patients with compassion and utmost care.
Ms Selvi is a true and an unsung champion as she chooses to always stay behind and ensure that our patients are comfortable and taken care off.
Siddhesh Suryakant Darekar, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Support Team, Thoracic DMG of Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Mr Siddhesh Suryakant Darekar is a part of the thoracic DMG of Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), Mumbai, since 2013. His dedication is exemplary and his empathy is very heartwarming. From manning the files to taking calls from patients and their families on his personal number, Mr Siddhesh is always there to help.
A humble soul, he is keen to support the team and make a difference in the lives of those patients and their families who are dealing with cancer. Always wearing a smile on his face, Mr Siddhesh is extremely supportive and goes beyond-and-above to help someone in their difficult time.
His presence is a great sense of support to the thoracic DMG team at TMH Mumbai.
Subash Samal, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha
Senior Administrative Executive at the Amrit Dhara Palliative Care Trust, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha
Mr Subash Samal joined the Amrit Dhara Palliative Care Trust (ADPCT) 2 years ago. He is diligent in his work and is always keen to learn. Apart from his designated work, he involves himself in various awareness programs organised by ADPCT.
Mr Samal’s passion led him to become a certified palliative care volunteer. He also helps in providing basic psychosocial support to our patients and their families. An important member of our community home visit team, he is very much capable of assisting the nurse in her patient related care.
Always ready to help, he helps patients locate a doctor of their choice, when one is lost for directions in busy and crowded hospitals.
He is a true asset for us at ADPCT. We wish him every success in life.
Tushar Jain, New Delhi
Advocacy Support at the Department of Palliative Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi
Mr Tushar Jain joined the Department of palliative care at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) in 2018 to offer advocacy support to the team.
Mr Tushar has coordinated various plays with support from students of Delhi/NCR, to advocate for social causes, including palliative care. He set up and manages the department’s social media presence and has also organised various national level competitions to advocate for the awareness of palliative care in the country.
He also organises various public awareness programs by designing webinars and seminars at various institutions nationwide to touch upon the various spheres of Palliative Care including the social, legal and technical aspects.
Mr Tushar also recently completed a course on Palliative Care and continues to work with us at the department in our different endeavours.
Umesh Pandey, Siliguri, West Bengal
Advocacy Support at Shanti Palliative Care Center, Siliguri, West Bengal
The team at Shanti Palliative Care Center (SPCC) wishes to recognise Mr Umesh Pandey who is a part of the Advocacy support team at SPCC.
In addition to being a Professional Radio Jockey at Radio Misti, Mr Umesh Pandey actively supports our team by advocating for palliative care through his own social media networks. A quiet, yet talented and enthusiastic person, Mr Umesh is an important resource person at the SPCC. He has helped host several of our events and is currently working towards conducting ‘Street Plays’ to generate awareness about palliative care in the community in commemoration of this year’s World Hospice and Palliative Care Day.
Being a certified volunteer, Mr Umesh is also able to support our patients and caregivers by listening to their issues and concerns.
Vasanthakumar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Home Care Driver and Office Assistant at Golden Butterflies Children’s Palliative Care Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Mr Vasanthakumar is an invaluable asset to our team at Golden Butterflies Children’s Palliative Care Foundation (GBCPCF) as he adeptly wears the hats of both a dedicated home care driver and an office assistant. His unwavering commitment and exceptional work ethic ensures that our team starts each day punctually.
Beyond his vital role, Mr Vasanthakumar is a gifted artist whose creations consistently impress and inspire. He seamlessly blends efficiency with creativity and adds an artistic touch to our work. GBCPCF actively supports his artistic growth, and he wholeheartedly invests 200% in our foundation’s endeavors. Mr Vasanthakumar also volunteers enthusiastically in our art activities, fostering a warm rapport with the children.
His multifaceted dedication is truly remarkable.
Vineela Rapelli, Hyderabad, Telangana
Program Coordinator at the Department of Pain and Palliative Medicine, MNJ Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Center, Hyderabad, Telangana
Ms Vineela Rapelli is one of the exceptional persons who has been working silently and tirelessly behind the scenes in the field of palliative care for 15 years now. As a program coordinator at MNJ Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Center (MNJIORCC), she facilitates training and advocacy activities, supports clinical services, and also helps to improve opioid availability at centers across the State of Telangana. Ms Vineela also offers administrative volunteer support to Pain Relief and Palliative Care Society (PRPCS) at Hyderabad.
Through both institutions, Ms Vineela has helped greatly to make pain relief and palliative care widely accessible to needy patients from across the State of Telangana. We are proud to share that she has therefore played a pivotal role in the expansion of palliative care as an integral part of the health care system in the community in Telangana.
Vinutha Suresh, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Project Coordinator at Cancer Institute, WIA, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
The team at Cancer Institute, WIA, admires and appreciates our project coordinator, Ms Vinutha Suresh.
Ms Vinutha is meticulous and her attention to detail is unparalleled, which ensures that our unit runs flawlessly. Always on time for meetings, deadlines, and deliverables, her punctuality and reliability set a positive example for the entire team.
Ms Vinutha’s systematic approach to challenges fosters a productive work environment. She understands group dynamics and strives to keep the team cohesive. She is also the official stress buster of the team.
Ms Vinutha is an exceptional individual with a heady combination of qualities making her an invaluable asset to the team at Cancer Institute, WIA, Chennai.