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Regional
Cancer Centre
Study Day
by Peter Speck - April 2008
Education
and health have always been important components of the work
of The Vidiyal Trust and it was therefore a great pleasure
to contribute to a day conference at the Regional Cancer Centre
[RCC] in Trivandrum earlier this year. The RCC, founded in
1981, is situated in a modern building complex within the
Medical College campus. The Centre serves a huge population
within the state of Kerala, adjoining parts of Tamil Nadu
and Karnataka. It provides a wide range of facilities for
the diagnosis, treatment, palliation and rehabilitation of
people with cancer. In addition it is very involved in research
and education relating to cancer and palliative care.
The
day conference at the RCC was very well attended by doctors,
nurses, students and pastoral care providers - many of whom
had travelled for many hours in order to attend. Within the
UK I am a senior lecturer in palliative care at King's College
London and I was invited to help participants think about
multi-professional teamwork and the effects that working with
patients and families with cancer can have on the staff offering
care.
Pat
Atkinson also contributed to this well evaluated day by introducing
people to the Liverpool Care Pathway, which focuses on the
needs of people as they approach the end stages of their disease.
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The
Study Day
There
is no NHS in India and so treatment, drugs and transport to
and from the hospital can be costly. While the RCC does have
a membership scheme, akin to health insurance, many families
in need just cannot afford to attend. It was therefore a great
pleasure to be present when two ambulances were presented
to the RCC palliative care team, one by The Vidiyal Trust
and the other on behalf of two Rotary Clubs.
Handing
Over an Ambulance
These
vehicles will enable staff to go to the villages and homes
of people to offer symptom relief and some treatment to people
who are either too ill or unable to afford to make the journey
to the Centre.
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During
the same trip there was opportunity to visit once again the
boys' and girls' home in Trivandrum and experience the excitement
of all involved in moving up to Mavelikara. As long term sponsors
it was also a great pleasure for Lis and myself to be able
to visit Mavelikara, to see the land where the new buildings
will be and to know that, as I write, this work is already
underway.
Peter
Speck and his wife Lis
The
rural setting is very peaceful and there are excellent facilities
for school, college and health needs as well as very positive
links with the local churches. It was also great fun, while
we had our lunch, to see a working elephant arrive in the
adjacent garden to enjoy its lunch before setting to work
among the palm trees.
The
new work being developed by the Trust is very exciting and
it was good to see the commitment of all concerned, together
with firm safeguards for the future of the project.
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Click
here to go back to the main India page
or
here to see more about the Regional Cancer Centre
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