Editor,
I was going through the article -Survival Meet of Cancer patients organized in the Civil Hospital, Shillong by State Cancer Society of Meghalaya and Joint Director Of Health Services in collaboration with Civil Hospital on Wednesday, i.e.27th June 29, 2012.It was a noble endeavour on the part of the organizers to help cancer patients in their fight against this killer disease and I was quite impressed by the fight put up by the patients. At the end of the news report it was stated that no Cancer Support Group has come forward to help the patients. In this regard I would like to inform all cancer patients and their relatives and also members of the medical faculty that I had written an article some time back regarding Cancer Care and a non – profit voluntary organization-Deepshika Cancer Care Foundation. I would like to take this opportunity to again give details regarding this organization and I would insist that the State Cancer Society of Meghalaya liaisons with it for the betterment of cancer patients in our state.
I searched a lot in the net regarding cancer care in the North-East part of the country and through contacts finally zeroed down to Deepshika Cancer Care Foundation, a non-profit voluntary organization working exclusively for cancer patients of the North East. I would like to share all the information gathered with all so that we go through it and try to utilize their services as and when required for our unfortunate brethren whenever they have to fight this dreaded disease.
Deepshika provides assistance for patients suffering from cancer in finding proper place to stay, process of registration in hospitals, meeting respective doctors, procuring medicines at concessional rates for the needy, providing assistance in arranging blood, getting financial assistance, ambulance services, helping with paperwork for the illetrate, etc. Deepshika is registered under Indian Trust Act 1961 and is the member of Cancer Care India, an apex body working for cancer support organizations in the country.
Till date 22,836 patients and relatives have benefited from Deepshika and its activities in Mumbai.The volunteers of this trust have ensured that patients who attend Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital or any other hospital, from the North East get the best possible treatment. They have received patients at railway stations/airports and transported them to suitable accommodations, which include the Assam Bhavan too. They have helped in the process of registration in hospitals and guided the patients in their investigations. They have provided physical support during operations and arranged for blood as and when required. Arranging financial assistance for poor patients, liasoning with specialists on behalf of patients who cannot come to Mumbai, providing medicines at concessional rates, helping in transportation of dead bodies to their homes, helping patients with railway/air tickets in accordance with their concessional forms, arranging treatment in other hospitals either than Tata Memorial Hospital, organizing concerts and adopting patients are some of the activities undertaken by Deepshika in Mumbai.
According to their volunteers it was seen that patients who come to Mumbai for treatment reported that lack of awareness, accessibility and support were contributing vastly to delay in treatment and dismal results. Deepshika was formed in order to lend a hand towards cancer care in North Eastern states and Mumbai.Deepskika has set up a help desk in Bhubaneswar Barooh Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati, the premier regional institute for treatment and research on cancer in the region. Since inception of this help desk on 9th March 2007 till date 15,876 patients have benefited. Deepshika has helped in registration and meeting the respective doctors in OPD, guidance and helping patients below poverty line to obtain financial assistance from CM relief fund, guiding poor patients with procedural details to obtain free treatment at BBCI, Guwahati, arranging blood, suitable accommodation, arranging ambulance service, providing love, care and psychological support to patients and relatives in making them fight this disease collectively.
Deepshika has organized more than 120 awareness camps in the North East with help from district administrations, doctors from BBCI and volunteers. Its Head Office is at House No. 2,Ananda Path,Ambikagiri Nagar,Guwahati-781024,Assam.Phone no +919954054000,+919864037697. Deepshika Arogya Bhawan was started on 2nd October 2008 in Mumbai to provide accommodation to cancer patients from the North Eastern states at very nominal rate. Canteen facility, transportation is available. It is situated at 87B, Broach Street, Nuruddin Chambers, Masjid Bandar (E), Mumbai-400009.Contact no.-022-66103690. Construction Of Deepshika Hospice for care of terminally ill cancer patients is going on in Guwahati.
Deepshika in association with Airtel has launched a cancer help line for North Eastern states. Helpline number 9954054000 functions from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Public can get relevant information relating to cancer treatment in the country as well as free counseling, e.mail – deepsikha.org.
Chairman of this trust, Devasish Sharma is a young and dynamic personality who incidentally belongs to the Assam Civil Services. I believe all this information will be beneficial to all and the Meghalaya Cancer Society guides the needy patients whenever cases have to be referred outside our state. Like the motto of Deepshika – Together We Shall Overcome.
Yours etc.,
Dr RS Bawa,
Via email