How Palliative Care Saved a Child with Cancer - A True Story

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.