September 2026
Welcome to this special Teachers’ Day edition of our newsletter.
This month, our theme centers on “The Teachers We Meet Along the Way”, a tribute to the extraordinary, often unexpected mentors who shape our practice and our humanity. From patients and family caregivers who teach us the true meaning of courage and resilience, to doctors, nurses, volunteers, and local communities who show us the power of compassionate presence, every person in our care ecosystem has a lesson to impart.
Join us as we celebrate these quiet educators and reflect on a fundamental truth of our work: care begins when we are willing to listen, and learning begins when we are willing to be taught.
Editorial: The Teachers We Meet Along the Way
Every September, as the nation turns its attention to classrooms, textbooks, and academic mentors for Teachers’ Day, we in palliative care find ourselves reflecting on a very different kind of syllabus. Our most profound lessons are not found in medical journals or lecture halls. They are taught in quiet hospital rooms, on home visits, and in community gatherings across the country.
In palliative care, every encounter is a classroom, and every person a lesson. This Teachers’ Day, we honour the extraordinary educators who shape our practice, our empathy, and our understanding of what it truly means to heal.
1. Patients: The story, the context, the person.
A patient living with a serious illness teaches us to look far beyond a clinical diagnosis. They remind us that behind every medical chart lies a rich tapestry of fears, unfinished dreams, quiet hopes, and small joys. Whether through a gentle smile in the face of suffering, a profound question, or even shared silence, patients guide our clinical focus away from “What disease do you have?” and firmly toward “What matters to you?”
2. Caregivers: there are no bystanders. Behind every patient stands a caregiver quietly bearing the weight of medicines, finances, appointments, and exhaustion. From these unsung heroes, we learn that care is an active, daily discipline. They teach us that we are never treating an isolated individual, we are caring for an entire family unit that needs to be heard, supported, and nurtured just as deeply.
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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Beyond the Sessions: Reflections from the Field
When Unspoken Sorrows Gave Way to Onam Smiles
Today was a beautiful Onam day, truly a day we had been waiting for with all our hearts. Overcoming their physical pain and countless obstacles, the children and families of our Children’s Palliative Care (Pallium India) gathered from near and far for this reunion. Though everyone arrived holding memories of the last Onam close to their hearts, today turned out to be even more special.
With such vibrant energy, it wasn’t just the children, the mothers, too, took to the stage. Having spent so many sleepless nights with only heavy sighs for company, the cultural programs they chose – just to bring a moment of joy to their hearts and escape their sorrows – were deeply moving. Everyone enjoyed themselves to the fullest.
Smiling Through the Pain
I rushed towards the pharmacy, but her face kept appearing before my eyes. The child was crying in pain. Who was this stone-faced woman standing there? Perhaps a distant relative. Where was the child’s mother?
Anyway, who cared who she was? At least the doctors were here. There was Dr. Sunil, Dr. M. R. Rajagopal and Dr. Greeshma. But where were they headed? I, too, had been called to join them. God knows what questions they would ask.
Amidst the chaos, I managed to gather a brief history of the child. We nurses have a particular knack for collecting such details on the go. Thankfully, there were no questions, as I had feared. But one thought remained in my mind: What now?
Even with all the morphine and fentanyl being given to the child, there was no relief from the pain. Maybe she was like me, nothing seemed to shake her. And, strangely enough, she carried the same name as I did.
We administered nearly 200 ampoules of morphine during her stay. We used Fentanyl and Midazolam too. Nothing brought her relief. Her pain simply refused to bow down to any medicine. All the pain management we had learnt seemed irrelevant before the cancer that was consuming her tiny body. And yet, even in the midst of unbearable pain, she smiled at me. Somewhere along the way, she had endeared herself to me.
Where Care Calls Us: Thiruvonam@TIPS IP
Thiruvonam has always carried a certain feeling with it. Across Kerala, homes wake up a little differently. There is a pookkalam at the entrance, the smell of a Sadya coming from inside, people moving around in their best clothes, relatives calling and visiting, and that very familiar feeling that Onam is, above everything else, about being together.
But in a hospice, Thiruvonam can look a little different. Our care beneficiaries and their caregivers were here. So were our doctors, nurses, care assistants, social workers and other staff who were on duty. While most people were celebrating at home, our day continued much like any other day at the Inpatient Unit in the Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences (TIPS). There were medications to be administered, care to be provided, families to be supported, and all the little things that have to keep moving even on a festival day.
PSL3 Comes to a Thrilling Close
The final leg of Pallium Sports League (PSL) Season 3 brought a fitting culmination to a season filled with adrenaline-pumping games, fierce competition, loud cheers, screams of joy, laughter and, above all, camaraderie. The final day, held at TENZ Turf, Ambalattura, brought together the teams for one last round of competition, with the 100 m race, relay race, penalty shootout and the much-awaited cricket final completing the season’s sporting calendar. With the call to “finish strong”, teams gave it their all, turning the final day into an exciting celebration of speed, teamwork, skill and sporting spirit.
The competitive spirit was very much alive on the field, but sportsmanship knew no bounds. True to the spirit of a palliative care team, the moment someone got injured, nobody cared which team they belonged to. Team colours seemed to disappear as everyone rallied around the injured player. Having physiotherapists, doctors and nurses on call definitely came in handy, too! But PSL was always about more than the games. Every participant deserves huge kudos for the hours of practice, for showing up game after game despite long and demanding work hours, and for giving it their all. Whether sprinting, running a relay, taking a penalty or stepping onto the cricket field, every participant contributed to making PSL 3 what it became.
Going into the final day, Parakkum Thalika led the PSL 3 points table with 43 points, followed by Kidu & Co. with 41 points. Sky Kings and Xcalibur were tied in third place with 34 points each, setting the stage for an exciting finish.
What made this season particularly special was seeing the Pallium India spirit extend beyond the field. Everyone made sure that care responsibilities were never compromised while making time for this important recreational activity. Finding that balance demanded commitment, coordination and teamwork, and it became a true testament to the strength and trust within our multidisciplinary team.
PSL also gave colleagues an opportunity to see each other differently, beyond their everyday professional roles. Doctors, nurses, social workers, care assistants and other team members became teammates, opponents, cheerleaders and, sometimes, fiercely competitive sportspeople! Yet, beneath all the competition, there was always a shared sense of belonging. From the laughter and shouts on the field to the celebrations at the end of the matches, every moment added to the spirit of PSL 3. The final day brought the season to a fitting close, celebrating not only the winners but everyone who stepped onto the field, showed up, encouraged their teammates and played with passion.
Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences (TIPS), Pallium India
| Beneficiaries reached till March 2026: | 30,682 | |
| Palliative Care centres / services catalysed: | 256 | |
| Stakeholders trained (virtual and onsite): | 12,375 |
Building Trust, Delivering Care
Pallium India Trust has received Gold Accreditation from Give.do, valid through August 16, 2027. This recognition follows a rigorous audit across 48 verification parameters, covering:
- Our financial health
- HR maturity
- Governance
- On-site programme evaluations
It is one of the strongest independent endorsements of trust and transparency an organisation like ours can receive
To view the full report, please visit: https://palliumindia.org/pallium-india/reports
Our Palliative Care Demonstration Centre supported by the National Health Mission, at Jayanagar General Hospital, Bengaluru, will serve as an out-patient clinic and an anchor for home-based care, referral linkage centre, community participation & volunteer orientation hub, training site for healthcare professionals, and offer physical and social rehabilitation services.
You can support our work in Karnataka to help us establish a compassionate & community-based palliative care model.
Upcoming Events, Trainings & Conferences
Openings
For more openings, visit our CAREERS page:
https://palliumindia.org/category/career
In case of queries, please write to us: [email protected]
Stay tuned for palliative care news, views and updates
Reports / News / Articles
Letter of Recognition – India Philanthropy Alliance
Pallium India USA has been recognised by India Giving Day (IGD) and the India Philanthropy Alliance for its outstanding participation in the 2025 and 2026 India Giving Day campaigns.
In 2026, Pallium India USA recorded the highest donor participation among all 51 participating organisations, secured first prize for the largest number of peer-to-peer fundraisers, and won second prize for the most gifts generated through an individual peer-to-peer fundraiser.
The recognition also acknowledges the creativity, community engagement and commitment of Pallium India USA’s staff and volunteer fundraisers, building on its strong performance in 2025.
Seeds of Change: Palliative Care in Nagaland
When I stepped off the train in Dimapur on 29th June, I knew this journey would be more than just meetings and schedules. It was about listening, connecting, and building bridges for palliative care in Nagaland. Over four days, I met doctors, administrators, civil society leaders, and even nuns – each encounter reminding me of the shared commitment to compassionate care.
Conversations That Matter
At Nikos Hospital, I sat with Dr Victo A. Wotsa and his wife, sharing Pallium India’s vision. Despite some challenges, there was hope for future collaboration. Later, at Eden Medical Centre, reconnecting with my old friend Dr Athikho felt like revisiting the roots of our shared mission.
SCI Haldwani and Pallium India Partner to Strengthen Palliative Care in Kumaon
The State Cancer Institute (SCI), Haldwani, and Pallium India Trust signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 27 July 2026 to strengthen and integrate palliative care services for patients with cancer and other serious illnesses.
The collaboration aims to provide comprehensive care addressing patients’ physical, psychological, social and emotional needs, alongside appropriate pain and symptom management.
The MoU signing was attended by Prof. Dr. Kailash Chandra Pandey, Director, SCI Haldwani; Prof. Dr. G.S. Tityal, Vice Principal, Government Medical College Haldwani; Rajendra Bijalwan, Pallium India; Prof. Dr. A.K. Sinha; Prof. Dr. Urmila Palaria; Prof. Dr. Nishchay Pant; and Dr. Lalit Mohan, among others.
Onam at Pallium India: Celebrating Together
Pallium India’s official Onam celebration on 21 August brought the entire premises alive with colour, laughter, music, dance and, of course, plenty of festive spirit.
For a workplace where our days are so often centred around illness, uncertainty, caregiving and the realities of living with serious health conditions, celebrations like these carry a significance of their own. They give us an opportunity to pause from the demands of our everyday work and simply enjoy being together. The atmosphere was lighter, louder and a little more carefree, as colleagues who spend their days caring for others came together to celebrate, laugh and make memories.
Our doctors, nurses and staff took to the stage with dance performances that came together with very little rehearsal time, but an abundance of enthusiasm. There was perhaps not enough time to perfect every step, coordinate every movement or achieve the kind of polished performance one might expect from a fully rehearsed programme. But there was certainly no shortage of confidence!
Video of the Month
Does Palliative Care Mean Giving Up?
One of the biggest misconceptions about palliative care is that accepting it means giving up hope. The truth is very different.
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.
Join us in making India pain-free! Subscribe to our newsletter for updates.
Book of the Month
The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness
Renowned writer Meghan O’Rourke delivers a revelatory investigation into this elusive category of “invisible” illness that encompasses autoimmune diseases, post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, and now long COVID, synthesizing the personal and the universal to help all of us through this new frontier.
Drawing on her own medical experiences as well as a decade of interviews with doctors, patients, researchers, and public health experts, O’Rourke traces the history of Western definitions of illness, and reveals how inherited ideas of cause, diagnosis, and treatment have led us to ignore a host of hard-to-understand medical conditions, ones that resist easy description or simple cures. And as America faces this health crisis of extraordinary proportions, the populations most likely to be neglected by our institutions include women, the working class, and people of color.
Blending lyricism and erudition, candor and empathy, O’Rourke brings together her deep and disparate talents and roles as critic, journalist, poet, teacher, and patient, synthesizing the personal and universal into one monumental project arguing for a seismic shift in our approach to disease. The Invisible Kingdom offers hope for the sick, solace and insight for their loved ones, and a radical new understanding of our bodies and our health.
Walk with the Weary – by Dr M R Rajagopal
A masterclass in how to care for others deeply and compassionately no matter who they are, Walk with the Weary is simultaneously the story of Dr Rajagopal’s life and his calling and the world of Indian palliative care.
Palliative Care Telehealth
Call us: +91 964 588 4889 /
+91 860 688 4889
Parting Shot
When the Sea Became a Memory
One patient I met through Pallium India left a lasting impression on me and changed the way I think about suffering.
He was a fisherman with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. When I first met him, I assumed that his biggest concern would be the physical pain caused by his illness. But as we spoke, it became clear that his suffering went far beyond his symptoms.
He told us about the Sea.
For most of his life, he had woken before sunrise, stepped onto his boat, and headed out onto the water. The sea was not just his livelihood; it was his identity. He spoke about the smell of the salt air, the feeling of diving into the water, and the peace he felt when he was surrounded by nothing but the horizon. His happiest memories were tied to the ocean.
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