A five-year-old child
with Cancer (Brain) was in coma, had fits, and was losing weight. The multiple
metastasis surgery was not successful. Every time he had fits, pain and struggled,
his mother cried. Every hospital gave 10 days for him to live but they gave no
answer for his pain. Mother and Father lived alone with the child, had no
income, and are in isolation and distress. The grandparents are scared to be
with them as they think Cancer is contagious.
The parents visited
18 centers, rarely slept for eight months, had very little food and were
waiting for the death of their child. In this helpless state the couple ran to
TV media (Tamil) who redirected them to a NGO called Sri Matha Trust. Sri Matha
works in cancer care and were aware of palliative care, and so redirected them to RMD Palliative
Care and Pain Relief Trust.
RMD Palliative care team gave pain relief, free medicines, stay in hospice for the child and counselled the
family. Now the father has decided to go for work. The parents are lot more
reassured that they have support now.
The distress and
confusion of the parents had driven them to TV media to look for help. The
above problem of the child with cancer clearly shows lack of awareness of
palliative care, suffering, and no dignity of life.
