November 2023
Click here to subscribe to our newsletter
Dear Friends,
If we remember to keep our care recipients at the centre of care, what better way to celebrate palliative care than having a get-together of patients and families.
For many, this could be the only time when they could get out of the house except to go to the hospital. They filled a large hall at Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology (IHMCT), Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram.
Our gratitude to Mr K Rajshekhar (Principal, IHMCT) and to the hundreds of students of the institute who served as volunteers for Pallium India’s celebration of World Hospice and Palliative Care day (WHPCD) 2023, on the second Saturday of October.
SIPC Day
The annual Students Initiative in Palliative Care (SIPC) day is observed on 2nd October. This year, Pallium India, in association with APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University’s NSS Cell and KTU Care, organised an event at the LBS Institute of Technology for Women, Poojapura. 180 students from Kerala University, Kalam Technological University and Calicut University participated.
The theme for this year’s SIPC Day was “Leave No One Behind – Equity in Access to Palliative Care”.
The program was inaugurated by Ms Tiffany Brar, Founder of Jyothirgamaya Foundation and Ms Deeja Satheeshan, Director, Nymithra Food Products. Shri Dr M Abdul Rahiman (Director, LBS Centre for Science and Technology) delivered the Presidential address, and Dr Joy Varghese (State KTU NSS Cell Program Coordinator) gave the keynote address.
The first prize for SIPC Report presentation was bagged by Farook College (Autonomous), Kozhikode. Loyola College of Social Sciences and SN College, Kollam received the second and third positions respectively. Loyola College of Social Sciences won the first prize for video presentation. The second and third position winners were S N College, Kollam and Ace College of Engineering.
Pilot palliative care project in Kohima, Dimapur proposed
A meeting with prominent figures in palliative care, including Gilly Burn, (Palliative Care Nurse and Director of Cancer Relief India) and Rontu Sangma, (Regional Facilitator for North-East, Pallium India) was convened on October 25.
During the meeting, a proposal to initiate a Pilot Palliative Care Project in Kohima and Dimapur, in collaboration with Pallium India was made. This project aims to enhance the quality of palliative care services in these regions. The proposal is expected to be formally submitted for consideration.
Read more >> https://morungexpress.com/pilot-palliative-care-project-in-kohima-dimapur-proposed
UN declares October 29 the First International Day of Care and Support
Dr Katherine Irene Pettus writes: “I have both witnessed and practiced caregiving, which at its best, is a profound practice of love and attention. I have been privileged to serve both a hospice volunteer and family caregiver for my sister who, as a single woman living alone, also paid a caregiver service once she became bedbound. Some of the caregivers I got to know during her long and arduous decline, like Lisa, pictured below speaking at Ruth’s memoral service, were among the most dedicated professionals I have ever met, exploited by the wage economy while blessed in the economy of grace.”
Congratulations, Dr Sushma Bhatnagar!
Congratulations to Dr Sushma Bhatnagar (President, IAPC; Chief, Dr BRAIRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi) who was bestowed the ‘Cynthia Goh Award 2023’ by the Asia Pacific Hospice and Palliative Care Network.
Dr Sushma received the award on Thursday, 5th October, 2023, during the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care’s Conference held at Incheon, South Korea.
The award recognises Dr Sushma’s significant contribution to national and regional palliative care development and advancement, which is also an inspiring example to the palliative care community.
The award also acknowledges Dr Sushma’s dedication towards education, capacity-building, better access to essential medicines, and compassionate patient care.
Congratulations Dr Sushma, on this well-deserved award!
(Credits: IAPC)
Congratulations, Dr Stanley Macaden!
We are immensely pleased that Dr Stanley C. Macaden has been nominated to receive the Paul Harrison Award 2023 of Christian Medical College, Vellore, which is awarded to an alumnus of the college who has made outstanding contributions in the field of health care. The award is to be given on November 13, 2023.
Heartiest Congratulations to Dr Stanley Macaden.
Congratulations to Mobility in Dystrophy (MinD) Trust, on winning the N.S Hema Memorial Award given under The Association Of People With Disability.
MinD Trust is a non-government organization of the people, by the people and for the people – people with muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy.
Mr Krishnakumar, Sakkeer Hussain and all at MinD Trust, hearty congratulations! All of us at Pallium India are proud of your achievement!
Paediatric Palliative Care O.P
Pallium India’s Paediatric Palliative care Out patient unit is open on all Saturdays at Pallium India, Paruthikkuzhy, Thiruvananthapuram
Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Contact: 90721 01193
Evening Special Home Care
Pallium India has started a new service, called Evening Special Home Care (ESHC) for patient care, which would be available from 2PM to 8 PM. A male nurse and a palliative care assistant constitute the team for ESHC.
The intention of ESHC is to cater to the emergency needs of patients who are registered with us, while the regular home visit team is doing scheduled visits.
If anyone you know needs palliative care support, please reach out to us: +91 964 588 4889
Video of the Month
ACE College student volunteers at work!
Bravo, student volunteers! You give us hope for a better tomorrow. When we set our hearts on helping others, the possibilities are endless. Watch the video:
Click here to watch: https://youtu.be/WjvlaHjPuVs
Subscribe to Pallium India’s youtube channel for videos related to palliative care and our activities. You can watch previous webinars and training sessions, as well as listen to caregivers, survivors and others sharing their experiences.
Events / Trainings / Conferences
Follow Pallium India on Social Media
IAPCON 2024
The 31st annual conference of Indian Association Of Palliative Care (IAPC), IAPCON 2024 will be held at the Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad, from 9th February (Friday), to 11th February (Sunday), 2024.
For more information visit: https://www.iapcon2024.com
Run for Patients in Need at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024!
Registrations for TMM 2024 are now open! The race will take place on 21st January 2024.
Join us in making a meaningful impact by participating in the Tata Mumbai Marathon.
By purchasing a Charity Bib from us, you get to participate in the country’s most prominent marathon event while contributing to the well-being of patients living with cancer, HIV, stroke, and other life-threatening and non-curable illnesses and disabilities.
Register: https://www.unitedwaymumbai.org/ngo-1525
2024 Palliative Congress
The Association for Palliative Medicine of Great Britain and Ireland (APM) host the Palliative Care Congress on an annual basis. PCC events attract over 500 delegates from around the world from a diverse multidisciplinary background.
Registration: https://pccongress.org.uk/registration/
Submit your ‘WHPCD celebrations’ in the IAPC’s National Portal
The Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPC) invites palliative care institutions to share their World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD) celebrations with the palliative care community.
Showcase your events, academic activities, cultural programs, painting competitions, or community engagement initiatives.
Bruce Davis Gold Medal
Last date to apply for Bruce Davis Gold Medal examination, conducted by Institute of Palliative Medicine, Calicut: 10 November, 2023.
For registration and more information please visit: https://instituteofpalliativemedicine.org/
International Award for Excellence in Palliative Care 2023-24
CANCER AID SOCIETY invites nominations by Self/ Others for the “International Award for Excellence in Palliative Care” open for the applicants across the Globe (Citizen of India or any other Country) under 3 Categories.
- Doctors
- Nurses/ Paramedical
- Volunteers/ Social Workers
Last date of application is 15th November 2023 by 24.00 Hrs IST.
Click to apply: https://forms.gle/S1FDueNQxWWFfgXT9
Please prepare a PPT upto 10MB & Profile upto 1 MB of the nominee for uploading:
Please mention NA if any field is not applicable.
AWARD (Plaque & Certificate to the winners) shall be given for all Categories.
Contact: Mobile/ Whatsapp 9335166600
For The Little Ones
It is hard to think about children being severely ill, perhaps even potentially facing death, and many of us aren’t ready to face that reality. But children fall ill and must deal with difficult situations, and since they often do not have a voice, we must speak up for them and ensure that their right to paediatric palliative care isn’t taken away from them and no matter what the odds they can have the best quality of life possible.
Mind Over… Everything Else
That’s right, mental health must always come first – it is the only way we can move forward, irrespective of what life throws at us. Long-term illness, in particular, can weigh us down, and our loved ones too. The stress and the powerlessness open the door to depression and other mental illnesses.
Unravelling More Myths About Palliative Care
In India, less than 4% of people who need palliative care have access to it. Several barriers – which vary globally – prevent patients from accessing the care they need. However, in several circumstances, it boils down to a lack of awareness, socio-cultural beliefs attached to death, lack of access to pain relief medicines, and misconceptions that dim its value in the eyes of those who need it most.
Walk With The Weary: Life-changing Lessons in Healthcare
“Dr. M.R. Rajagopal’s book, Walking with the Weary, is the best writing on palliative care that I have ever read, and among the best writing on medicine. In three-to-five page chapters, Dr. Rajagopal describes succinctly but poignantly patients for whom he cared, many of whom suffered terribly, as much due to their illnesses as to scientific medicine’s focus on diseases and inattention to suffering.
“In his lapidary style, concise but elegant and infused with irony, he celebrates the dignity, courage, love and compassion he witnesses while also, especially in the final chapters, indicting the indifference to suffering that has accompanied the transformation of medicine into big business. Dr. Rajagopal recognized this indifference and set about relieving suffering long before he heard the term “palliative care.” He thereby demonstrates why palliative care became necessary, as a corrective for medicine’s fetishizing of technological mastery. But he also demonstrates that palliative care must vary depending on how people suffer in each clinical, cultural, and socio-economic context.
“Reading Dr. Rajagopal’s words, one (re)learns that medicine should not be just a profession but something much more serious, demanding, and rewarding. His book is an antidote for clinician burn-out, an invaluable guide for any health care student or practitioner. And for anyone distressed by the global resurgence of bigotry, it is a testament that compassion and kindness persist.”
Eric L. Krakauer, MD, PhD
Director, Program in Global Palliative Care, Assoc Prof of Medicine and of Global Health & Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Get your copy of “Walk With the Weary” (Available in Paperback and Kindle formats, globally):
Amazon IN: https://www.amazon.in/Walk-Weary-Dr-M-Rajagopal/dp/9393852448
Amazon.Com:
https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Weary-Life-changing-Lessons-Healthcare/dp/9393852448/
If you have already read the book, please leave a review on the website or email it to us: info@palliumindia.org
Patients and families from anywhere in India can call Pallium India’s Telehealth helpline. Health care professionals who need advice on palliative care or pain management can call our numbers.
The service is FREE and available in English, Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil.
Our lines are open from Monday to Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4pm
Call: +91 964 588 4889 / +91 860 688 4889
In case of queries, please write to us: info@palliumindia.org
Pallium India maintains a state-wise directory of institutions offering palliative care services in India. The list includes palliative care providers from community-based organisations to tertiary care institutions and cancer care centers.
The directory covers critical information like contact details including phone numbers and email addresses, availability of In-patient, Out-patient and home care services, availability of morphine, etc.
If anyone you know needs palliative care support, our directory will help you find the centre closest to you. Do take a look at Pallium India’s Palliative Care Directory and let us know (Email: info@palliumindia.org or Contact us) if any centre near you is missing.
CAREERS / OPENINGS
Palliative Care Doctor at Pallium India, Trivandrum
Staff Nurse at Pallium India, Trivandrum
Regional Coordinator (Ahmedabad & Mumbai)
Senior Accounts Officer, Trivandrum.
Communication Specialist, Trivandrum
For more openings across the country, visit our CAREERS page:
https://palliumindia.org/category/career
In case of queries, please write to us: career@palliumindia.org
Follow us on Social Media for updates
Contact us: info@palliumindia.org / 97467 45497
Click here to donate to Pallium India and lend a hand to our activities.
Donations from US can be made online on http://palliumindiausa.org/
For DOMESTIC Transfer:
Beneficiary: Pallium India Trust
Account No: 30086491915
State Bank of India
Branch: Pattom, Trivandrum
IFS Code: SBIN0003355
MICR No: 695002007
For FOREIGN donations:
Account Name: Pallium India Trust
Bank: State Bank of India (code: 00691)
Branch: Delhi
Account No: 40098265669
IFSC Code: SBIN0000691
SWIFT Code: SBININBB104
Queries? Write to info@palliumindia.org or call 97467 45504
After you make a donation, please write to us at donations@palliumindia.org for the receipt. Kindly provide your name, PAN number, contact number and address for us to issue the receipt.
Follow us for palliative care news, views and updates – as & when they happen
SAHAYATRA
Sahayatra, Pallium India’s monthly print magazine in Malayalam, is meant for anyone interested in Palliative Care – patients, families, palliative care professionals, volunteers and well-wishers.
Yearly subscription rate for Sahayatra is ₹200. (Only ₹500 if you subscribe for three years.) However, we send Sahayatra free of cost to patients and their families.
To receive Sahayatra monthly magazine by post, please send your complete postal address to info@palliumindia.org. Contact: 97467 45504
Read previous issues of Sahayatra online: https://palliumindia.org/sahayatra
PARTING SHOT
With hope for a better future – a heart-warming experience
As a newly joined Regional Facilitator at Pallium India, I embarked on a field visit to Trivandrum as a part of the home care program that left an indelible mark on my heart. This experience has not only reaffirmed my commitment to the cause but has also inspired me beyond words.
Accompanied by Nurse Greeshma and Palliative Care Assistant (PCA) Vipin, my mission was clear – to visit the homes of patients suffering from life-threatening ailments and distribute essential food and medicine kits and perform a general health check up, a regular practice at Pallium India. Little did I know that this visit would not only demonstrate the profound impact of the organization’s work but also reveal the depth of compassion that runs through its very core.
Our interactions with the patients and their families were truly moving. Their resilience in the face of adversity was evident, and their warm smiles in our presence were a testament to their strength. Nurse Greeshma and PCA Vipin explained their roles with a sense of purpose, highlighting that Pallium India’s mission extends beyond medical care to encompass all aspects of a patient’s life.
Dr. Jatin Bhukal, Regional Facilitator-North, Pallium India writes: Continue reading >>
Thank you for reading our newsletter. Read previous issues here
Don’t miss any updates! Subscribe to receive our monthly newsletter via email: https://www.freelists.org/list/palliumindia
Have feedback? Let us know. Write to us: info@palliumindia.org
Comments are closed.
