Help is here for Gujarat cancer patients

A palliative care centre for cancer patients in the advanced stages of the disease was inaugurated on Sunday at Thakershy Charitable Trust hospital in the city. The centre by the Shyam Oncology Foundation will provide symptomatic relief to cancer patients, particularly those from the weaker sections of the society, in the advanced stages of the disease. Symptomatic relief refers to pain management for cancer patients.

Talking about the initiative, Dr Chirag Shah, the brain behind the idea, said that research has found that the biggest fear among cancer patients is the fear of pain. "They think that they will die in pain. This need not be the case. By providing symptomatic relief to patients in the advanced stages of the disease, we can go a long way in alleviating pain," said Shah. He said the centre would provide psychological help as well to the patients to help them cope with the disease apart from having an out-patient department. The support provided at the centre will help improve the quality of life of such patients, he added.

Chief guest for the event, Indravadan Modi, chairman of Cadila Healthcare Ltd, lauded the efforts. "It is the second such palliative care centre for cancer patients in Gujarat," he said. The first one is by Gujarat Cancer Society. Modi also promised to provide free drugs for symptomatic treatment of cancer to the foundation.