September 2024
Welcome to a new edition of Pallium India’s newsletter. Thank you for joining us. Here you can find updates from the palliative care world, upcoming events including training for professionals and volunteers, interesting articles, career opportunities and so on.
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Applications invited for Global Fellowship in Palliative Medicine 2025
Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences presents one-year hybrid fellowship program
(Curriculum for GFPM is developed in collaboration with Faculty from the Queen’s University Global Oncology Program at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. However, please note that this course is not an accredited Queen’s University Fellowship Program)
Course start date: 02 January 2025
Duration: 1 year
Eligibility
Any doctor with MBBS or BDS with corresponding medical/ dental council registration can apply for this course. Doctors with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We reserve one seat and will provide reasonable accommodations to participate meaningfully in the program.
Course Fees
The course fee is INR 40,000. The fee is to be paid in full only on intimation of acceptance for fellowship. Admission to the course is guaranteed only on payment of the fee. For Overseas participants, the fee is USD 1000 (40% scholarship for participants from LMICs, upon selection)
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New OP Inaugurated at Military Hospital
The Pain and Palliative Care OPD at Military Hospital (MH) Trivandrum was inaugurated on August 13, 2024 by Dr M R Rajagopal, Chairman Emeritus of Pallium India alongside Brigadier Salil M.P., Stn Commander 91 Infantry Brigade.
The inauguration was attended by numerous senior officers and veterans, underscoring the community’s commitment to this important cause.
This palliative care OPD has started functioning from August 19, 2024 from 10 am to 12 and will be working every Monday. The palliative care team comprises of a palliative care physician, a nurse and a social officer. The new OPD will provide tailored care to manage pain and enhance comfort, reflecting a shared dedication to the well-being of our nation’s heroes.
(Credits: PRO Defence)
Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences (TIPS), Pallium India
| Beneficiaries reached till July 2024: | 26,636 | |
| Palliative Care centres / services catalysed: | 205 | |
| Stakeholders trained (virtual and onsite): | 10,204 |
NATIONAL
Strengthening Home-Based Palliative Care: Insights from the Northeastern States Workshop
The Regional Resource Centre for Northeastern States under NHSRC organized a two-day Capacity Building Workshop on Community Participation (CP) and Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) on 30th and 31st July, 2024 in Guwahati, Assam.
The workshop brought together State and District Nodal Officers from various states, including Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland. As a Resource Person, I had the privilege of leading a session on “Palliative Care – Strengthening Home-Based Approach.”
Advancing palliative care in Himachal Pradesh
A recent official visit to Himachal Pradesh by Pallium India’s Regional Facilitator, Dr Jatin Bhukal, marked a significant milestone in advancing palliative care services in the region. Key meetings with healthcare stakeholders in Shimla, Lahaul & Spiti and Kinnaur laid the groundwork for creating a way forward.
The visit began with a pivotal meeting at the National Health Mission (NHM) office in Shimla, where directives were issued to Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) of all districts to extend support and cooperation to Dr Jatin Bhukal.
In Reckong Peo, Kinnaur, discussions with the Chief Medical Officer and Medical Officer culminated in the possibility of a Palliative Care Outpatient Department (PC OPD) and potential home-based care, contingent on NHM support.
#FreedomFromPain
Thank you, everyone who donated to our #FreedomFromPain initiative. You are changing lives.
If you haven’t donated yet, you can do so now.
Join us in making India pain-free! Subscribe to our newsletter for updates.
Kerala Cricket League team Alleppey Ripples to join hands with Pallium India.
Alleppey Ripples will be part of fundraising and awareness activities for Pallium. As a start, the team will donate Rs 5 lakh to Pallium India. Alleppey Ripples will wear a special jersey representing Pallium India in a match in the League.
Coverage:
MARUNADAN MALAYALEE
https://marunadanmalayalee.com/bharath/alpy-2/
TIMES KERALA
https://timeskerala.com/kerala/alleppey-ripples-in-partnership-with-pallium-india/
KERALA ONLINE NEWS
https://keralaonlinenews.com/business/alleppey-ripples-pallium-india/cid15247039.htm
SATHYAM ONLINE
https://www.sathyamonline.com/news/latest-news/alleppey-ripples-45678-6936341
DHRAVIDAN
https://dhravidan.com/?p=8049
Dr TK Ramachandran Memorial Lecture
Dignity in death is as important as dignified living, pointed out Dr. MR Rajagopal, while delivering the TK Ramachandran Memorial Lecture at Kochi. He added that patients who are terminally ill should be prepared for a peaceful death without imposing unnecessary life-sustaining devices on them prolonging their misery.
Independence Day at Pallium India
Events / Trainings / Conferences
6 weeks Certificate Course for doctors & nurses at Trivandrum
We invite doctors and nurses to join this six weeks certificate course in pain management and palliative care, at Trivandrum.
Start Date: October 7, 2024
Doctors: MBBS or BDS
Nurses: Any recognised degree or certificate in nursing
Indonesia International Cancer Conference
Bridging North and South in Accelerating Cancer Control Advancement
03-05 October 2024 | Bali – Indonesia
Organized by Ministry of Health – Republic of Indonesia
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day
Championing Women’s Health:
Balancing Caregiving, Personal Well-being and Fostering Entrepreneurship
13 September 2024
Essentials of Palliative Care – India (EPCI)
Self-Directed learning course for Nurses and Doctors
EAPC Congress 2025
Video of the Month
What does Freedom from Pain mean to someone who lives with pain?
What does freedom mean to someone who lives with pain? We asked citizens around India to tell us. Please listen to what they say.
Freedom From Pain is your right. Claim it. Find a palliative care service near you: https://palliumindia.org/clinics
Click here to watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAE3RB7oxAk
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.
Sponsor an Onam Special Food kit
This year, let us celebrate Onam with joy, love and compassion, spreading peace and prosperity together. We invite you to sponsor a “food kit” for 1 family in our care, with a contribution of just Rs.1000.
Our Team will visit their houses before Onam and distribute these kits directly to the families. Your generous contribution can bring a smile of joy to someone this festive season!
Please note:
For Indian Nationals: Please enter your PAN number to receive an 80G receipt for tax deduction.
For Foreign Nationals: Please provide a copy of your passport while donating.
Write to us at donations@palliumindia.org or call +91 92490 93770 for any queries.
Thank you for your consistent support.
Work for Palliative Care
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
Book of the Month
The Wheel of Life: A Memoir of Living and Dying (An Inspiring Autobiography)
From the author of the groundbreaking book On Death and Dying comes an inspiring account of a life well-lived with compassion and service.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, MD, is the woman who has transformed the way the world thinks about death and dying. Through her many books and her years working with terminally ill children, AIDS patients and the elderly, Dr Kübler-Ross has brought comfort and understanding to millions coping with their own deaths or the deaths of loved ones. At age seventy-one, facing her own death, this world-renowned healer tells the story of her extraordinary life. Having taught the world how to die well, she now offers a lesson on how to live well. Her story is an adventure of the heart—powerful, controversial, inspirational—a fitting legacy of a powerful life.
Know more about this book and also other works by Dr Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Blogs / News / Articles
As India ages, a secret shame emerges: Elders abandoned by their children
Rithu – a day to forget our sorrows
The third get-together of Pallium India’s Parent Support Group ‘Rithu‘ was held on Sunday, July 28, 2024. It was a day we had all been eagerly waiting for.
I expected a packed hall with doctors addressing the gathering from the podium, explaining to the rest of us how to take care of children with special needs, their diet considerations, and so on.
I could not have been more mistaken.
The Role of TRIPS and Patents
Continuing the article series by Dr Preeti Chauhan
This piece will delve into the critical role played by Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and patents in shaping the global landscape of medicine accessibility, with a particular focus on developing countries.
The right to health, as enshrined in international human rights law, is a fundamental human right. It encompasses the right to access essential medicines, which are crucial for preventing, treating, and managing diseases.
One of Life’s most profound experiences
Ms Girija Muraleedharan writes:
Taking care of a loved one when they are in pain and dying is one of the hardest things you can do in life. I found that it is also one of life’s most profound experiences. Caring for my dying father made me realize what a privilege it was to be able to take care of him, to be able to thank him for everything he had done for us in life. Pallium India made all that possible.
When we were confronted with the diagnosis of that most villainous of cancers – pancreatic cancer – and did not know which way to move forward, Pallium India’s team came to us like angels to guide us. Not only did they hold my father’s hand throughout his illness, but our hands also as they gently told us what to expect, how to keep him comfortable, how not to be debilitated by the prospect of death. The guidance they gave us helped us prepare him and ourselves for his death, and our father ultimately died with dignity, peace and love.
My father was just one of Pallium India’s patients.
Dr Rajagopal’s book, Walk with the Weary, is replete with his experiences with scores of patients, similar in a way but totally unique in other ways. I am certain the book will guide countless people faced with helping a loved one through their last journey. I know I speak for my whole family when I say with deep gratitude, that I wish Dr Rajagopal, his family, and everyone at Pallium India, all the very best in life. You all do God’s work on earth.
സ്നേഹത്തിന്റെ രാഷ്ട്രീയം: ഡോക്ടർ എം.ആർ രാജഗോപാലിന്റെ ‘സ്നേഹം സാന്ത്വനം’ – ജോണി എം എൽ
Palliative Care Telehealth
Call us: +91 964 588 4889 / +91 860 688 4889
PARTING SHOT
The Silent Strength
Dr Arjun Devarajan writes:
I’ve been fortunate to travel across the country for work, often by flight, and every time my plane touched down, often at night, I knew I was home when I saw Mamman – our beloved Nadeshan Mamman, or Nadeshan Chettan as many of us knew him. Pallium India is close to the domestic airport, so I’d leave my scooter there, knowing that when I returned, Mamman would be waiting in the car porch. Half-asleep, with his legs stretched out on a plastic chair in the dim light, he’d always wake up just enough to give me that warm smile, a smile that made all the miles I’d traveled melt away. It was in those small, quiet moments that Mamman’s presence felt like an anchor, grounding me after every journey.
Mamman wasn’t just our security officer; he was our guardian angel, our rock. He was everything—security, plumber, electrician, generator operator. Whatever the need, whatever the hour, he was always there, just a call away. He was the silent strength behind every event at Pallium India, working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure everything went smoothly. He was there, ready with the flag, decorating the premises for Independence Day and Republic Day. I was fortunate enough to raise the flag quite a few times with him by my side. Even then, he was reluctant to be photographed, always preferring to stay out of the spotlight. But I managed to capture him without his permission on a sunny evening, nearing 5 PM, just as we were all marching home. After that, he would become the sole king of the jungle, peacefully patrolling Pallium India. To me, and to so many others, he was a special friend, a confidant, and a steady hand in times of chaos.
Every time I rushed in to punch my attendance, Mamman would greet me with a special ‘namovagam’— that was just between the two of us, a small ritual that made every hectic day a little brighter. And he never hesitated to give me a hard time about my dirty car, reminding me to get it washed, with a teasing grin that I’ll never forget. He had this belief that when we were on night duty together, it would be a sleepless one—because there would always be some incident in the IP, a late-night admission, or an off-schedule OP visit. He used to say that he could tell which doctor was on duty just by the incidents that occurred. Mamman wasn’t just observant; he was deeply connected to all of us, knowing our quirks and routines in a way that made him feel like family. Every single one of us at Pallium India has memories with Mamman that we treasure, memories that now feel like gifts from him.
During the dark, uncertain days of COVID-19, when the world felt like it was falling apart, Pallium India kept going, often with just a handful of us holding the fort. It was often just Vishnu, Mamman, and me, working in those tense, frightening times, away from our loved ones, surrounded by fear and uncertainty. But Mamman was always there, standing at the front, making sure every single person who entered our premises followed the COVID protocols. His presence was more than just a comfort; it was a reassurance that we would get through this, together. Those late-night talks, the shared fears, and the quiet strength we drew from each other—those are memories I’ll hold close forever.
I’ll never forget the tour we took to Dhanushkodi-Madurai. We still laugh about the memories from the back seat of that trip, memories shared only with a few. Mamman was always the last person to see off those who left our IP, whether they were going home or to their final rest. He managed everything with such grace, helping people who came to us with heavy hearts and troubled minds.
I was away when I first heard that Mamman had fallen ill. I got regular updates, and I was sure he’d be back on duty in no time. I couldn’t meet him because I was assigned to a new project and had to leave for a few months, but in my heart, I was confident that when I returned, he’d be there, handing me the key to my scooter with that familiar smile.
But life has a way of shocking us, doesn’t it? While I was on a layover, I received the message that Mamman was no longer with us. Shock washed over me, leaving me numb and disoriented. All I could hear was Vishnu’s cry echoing in my ears. It took me a long time to process that he was really gone. Even now, it feels surreal, like some part of me refuses to accept it.
Tonight, as I return from a four-month expedition to retrieve my scooter from Pallium India, I know there might be a new face there. But in my heart, I’ll always believe that Mamman is just on his day off, and tomorrow, he’ll be back, waiting for me with that warm, welcoming smile.
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