A Day That Belonged to Everyone
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day at Pallium India
Preparations for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, celebrated on the second Saturday of October, had begun months in advance. The staff and volunteers had come together early on, working wholeheartedly to make the programme as wonderful as possible. The thought of making this one beautiful day of the year for patients and their families had already taken root in everyone’s hearts.
For personal reasons, I could not be part of the preparations. But I was determined to attend the event. Not only did I make up my mind to be there, I reminded everyone at home about it several times beforehand!
And then, the day arrived.
The moment I reached Pallium India and boarded one of the buses arranged to ferry patients to the venue, someone called out, “Saleena chechi!” It was Krishnendu, the young girl who had become like a little sister to me when I first visited Pallium India’s inpatient unit. As I turned around, I saw so many familiar faces. Nobody felt like a stranger. Then again, sometimes, all it takes is a smile to make someone feel like an old friend.
The woman sitting beside me drew me into her world within minutes. It would be fair to say that she completely won me over. There were so many reasons why I felt she was a remarkable woman. What she began sharing was not simply a story of her past. It was as though she were turning the pages of her life backwards, beginning with the present and gradually revisiting the days gone by.
“I woke up at four in the morning and woke my child up too.
“Do you know, chechi, I have been waiting for this day for two months. This is my day. A day when I can go out, enjoy myself and be happy. This is the one day in the year when I get to go out.
“Pallium India helped me rise when I was bedridden. They helped me stand, walk, and reach a stage where I could travel like this. They have brought me food and other essentials. They are my lifeline.”
As she spoke, she would press a hand against her face and look upwards, almost as if in prayer. Her family had come from Maharashtra and settled here. Every now and then, this mother would turn to speak to her ninth-grade son in Hindi.
As soon as she finished speaking, Ameen, who was sitting in the seat across from us, began sharing his own story.
“I was listening to your conversation. When I first came to Pallium India, I couldn’t even turn over in bed. Today, I have walked out, waited for the bus and am travelling to the programme venue. I never imagined, even in my dreams, that I would be able to get up and walk again. They made it possible!”
Listening to all this, I found myself thinking that if only we gave someone our time and truly listened, we could travel thirty kilometres without even realising it.
And so, the bus arrived at Golden Palace, the venue for the programme.
“Please make sure you take me along when you return,” some of them called out as I got off.
“Sure,” I replied, before getting caught up in my volunteer responsibilities.
Someone asked, “Will our doctor come?”
“Of course, he will! His name is on the poster,” I replied.
The coordination was excellent. Everything, from the stage and the hall to the food, had been thoughtfully arranged. Everyone could find a seat without any rush or confusion. Once the inauguration was over, the programme began. Songs, dances and personal stories followed one after another.
Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves without the slightest hint of discomfort. The delicious food, the care and attention, and those precious hours when pain could be forgotten for a while were all moments worth cherishing.
People who had known one another for years, sharing similar experiences, moved around in their wheelchairs, renewing old friendships and catching up with one another.
My dear doctor (Dr. M. R. Rajagopal), how many acts of tenderness and loving care have grown from the thought you gave to the word pain! How much concern, comfort and reassurance continue to reach people because of that vision.
As I sat there, I found myself repeatedly reflecting, with a full heart, on the beautiful idea that must have crossed your mind, the idea of making this organisation a magnetic circle of care, drawing people together and making them feel that they belong.
There was happiness on every face. The joy of seeing loved ones again, the pleasure of renewing friendships, and the eagerness to fill their hearts with memories to last another year. I watched it all with wonder, moved by how much everyone wanted to carry home from this one special day.
As a volunteer, I have been part of many programmes, but World Hospice and Palliative Care Day has always felt particularly special to me.
And I know why.
I kept thinking of the woman I had mentioned earlier. She had said, with all her heart, “This day is for me. It is mine. It is the day I get to go out.”
When she said those words with such heartfelt conviction, I was certain that everyone gathered in that packed Golden Palace was expressing the very same feeling, even if they did not say it aloud.
This is also the day when people who have moved on from their jobs at Pallium come together again, renewing the bonds they share.
Dear friends, I had insisted on attending because I knew I simply had to be there. I returned with a host of memories. I had also made a mental note of the requests and concerns some people had shared with me, promising that I would pass them on to the people who needed to know.
As the day drew to a close, it left our hearts filled with the comfort of a welcome rain after a long, warm day. May the happiness of this gathering stay with everyone until we meet again.
When I boarded the bus for the return journey, the mother and son I had mentioned earlier were there too.
When they reached their stop, the ninth-grade boy struggled to lift his mother and help her into an auto-rickshaw. For a moment, I found myself wishing that the goodness in this young boy’s heart, his instinct to care for his mother and hold her close, would always remain with him.
May the days ahead be filled with life and happiness for both of them.
I am certain that when the time comes for another gathering, these little flocks of birds will once again fly in energetically, bringing their families from different places to find shelter among the branches of the tree of goodness that is Pallium India.
For now, they have returned to their own nests, carrying their friendships, dreams and happy memories with them, looking forward to coming together again.
Until next time, when I return with more stories from another programme.
A big salute to all the staff, volunteers and people who made this day possible!
Sanna Saleena
Volunteer, Pallium India
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