Monthly Report, April 2001

Main Stories

CPAA Casefiles
Shaina NC's Fashion Show for CPAA

Department Reports

Prevention and Early Detection

Insurance

At Smt. Panadevi Dalmia Cancer Management Centre
At Tata Memorial Hospital
"Can I Help You?" CPAA’s Desk at Tata Memorial Hospital’s Private OPD
At Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children
Palliative Care Unit at Tata Memorial Hospital
Counseling at Cama & Albless Hospital Cancer Ward
Nair Hospital (Radiation Department)

Rehabilitation

CPAA Casefiles

Over the years, CPAA has had the privilege of assisting many patients. There have been several gratifying successes as well as some disappointing failures. In this month’s Monthly Report, we take the opportunity to go through our Casefiles, and relive the stories with you.

When CPAA was founded 31 years ago, the main aim was to help poor and needy cancer patients. Over the years, it was perceived that the problem in India was one of lack of awareness on what causes cancer, how it can be prevented and the importance of early detection in effecting a cure. From this perception were started our Awareness, Early Detection, Insurance and Rehabilitation Departments. However the Patient Care Department, its dedicated workers and the patients and families we try to help remain central to our activities.

CPAA’s Patient Care Department is at the Srimati Panadevi Dalmia Cancer Management Centre at Mahalaxmi. Here we provide guidance, information, medical help and rehabilitation facilities, or "Total Management of Cancer." Each month, doctors and social workers attached to various hospitals refer about 100 new patients. We register them, take their medical history, understand their prognosis, identify their particular needs, explain the course of treatment that has been recommended to them, answer the questions they were unable to ask their doctors, and act as a buffer to dispel the fears arising out of ignorance. While a large majority of patients come to us for financial aid, the activities covered by the patient care department include providing donations in kind (utensils, clothes toys), accommodation, diet supplements and food grains, special investigations (CT Scan, MRI), blood requirements, transportation through our ambulances, prostheses (artificial body parts); hospital and home visits. Entertainment programmes, gatherings, picnics and meetings with celebrities are organised regularly. Our weekly playgroup at the Ernest Borges Home has become an event the children look forward to avidly.

Ms. Iva Athavia, Vinaya Chacko, Mrinal Marathe and Monal Sapru at Mahalaxmi, Ms. Halima Aurangabadkar and Jennifer Quadros at Tata Memorial Hospital form the core team of dedicated Social Workers. The ambulance drivers, Pandu and Owen, too are an important part of this team. Besides the Patient Care Department at Mahalaxmi, CPAA participates in three cells at TMH. A permanent room in the Jubilee Block where Ms. Halima Aurangabadkar is seated is haven for all and sundry, old and young; rich and poor; men and women. Children especially know that there are biscuits and chocolates to be had and they never return empty handed. The second is a table near the Private Patients Registration desk where Jenny sits every morning answering patients’ questions. And finally Mrinal Marathe participates in the activities of Palliative Care Unit of the hospital, counseling patients who have been told that no more treatment is possible.

Vinaya Chacko sits at the Wadia Hospital’s Hematology Department counseling parents of children who have come for chemotherapy. We have recently started cells at Cama & Albless Hospital for Women and at the Nair Hospital Radiation Department. Patients who visit the hospitals have praised both cells although they are still extremely new. While these are the people who form the dedicated Patient Care Department, each and every CPAA employee has been part of some special effort for a cancer patient. Their involvement is on several levels and results in the formation of a bond between the patient and his family on one hand and the Social Worker on the other. When a patient is declared cured, it is a triumph for everyone concerned and a relapse is reason for sorrow. Such is the fight against cancer. It can be a sea-saw battle, but it is important to keep a strong will and start the struggle again. It is at such times that the Social Worker helps to motivate the family and patient to leave disappointments behind and begin again.

10-year-old Zuzar Chitalwala is one such case. Zuzar was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in 1997. After chemotherapy, he was well until December 1999 when the tell tale symptoms were noticed again. He was again started on chemotherapy to which he responded well initially. After about a year, his condition deteriorated suddenly. He was then given radiation treatment but there was further deterioration until he became totally unresponsive. The sorrowing parents were told that there was nothing further that could be done and were advised to shift Zuzar to Shanti Avedana Ashram, a hospice where he could be looked after properly. Over the next 3 months, the parents watched as his condition became even worse. They noticed however that every time Zuzar’s sister came to visit him, he would start crying, tears flowing from his otherwise blank eyes. They felt that he wanted his sister’s company and decided to bring him home. He has been at home now for the past month and his family has been noticing some movements in his fingers. His morphine dosage has been reduced until it is only given when he actually conveys pain.

When Jennifer Quadros arranged for a Cancer Screening camp at the Lourde’s Community Centre at Orlem, a lady came to have a lump she had noticed in her breast examined. The lump was indeed suspicious and she was advised to go to Tata Memorial Hospital’s Preventive Care Department for further investigations. Jenny, who is CPAA’s representative at the Private Patients’ Registration Counter at TMH, helped the lady through her investigations that included a Pap smear that could not be done at the camp since the patient was in the middle of her menstrual cycle. Imagine their surprise when the results showed that she had a non-malignant fibroadenoma in her breast, but the Pap smear indicated a cancerous lesion. Jenny accompanied the lady to get a colposcopy done which confirmed a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion that needed a minor operation. At the last moment, the family developed cold feet and did not come for the procedure. Once again Jennie had to step in to counsel the family and convinced the patient to undergo the operation.

They say lightning never strikes twice in the same place, but at a typical Mumbai household, it did. The husband, a 40-year-old man, was found to have neuroblastoma, a very rare brain tumour, in 1991. He was operated on and the tumour was removed successfully. So successfully that the family gradually forgot the entire episode and resumed their happy lives. It was therefore a shock when the cancer recurred in 1996. Since then he has undergone 4 major surgeries, radiation to his spine and chemotherapy. There were a number of side effects including some loss of balance and hearing. He also needed a catheter in order to pass urine and as a result he was no longer able to work. Through it all, his wife stubbornly refused to give up, insisting that doctors give their all whenever there was a chance, finding another doctor when one refused to try. Their extended family consisting of both their brothers and sisters, were supportive beyond the usual sibling relationship, giving their time and financial help unstintingly. In January of this year, he again went through surgery but the doctor was unable to remove the entire tumour. The radiotherapists at both Jaslok and TMH felt that radiation would do more damage than good since the tumour was still very large. Finally the patient became practically comatose and had to be shifted to Shanti Avedana Ashram. Then lightning struck again. The couple’s 18 year-old son developed anemia and a lump near his collarbone, which the doctor recommended be biopsied. There had been little other symptoms, so the family did not expect the eventual diagnosis of Hodgkins Lymphoma. This young, bright boy had struggled through his 12^th standard board examinations in February with hardly any support from his parents. It is now clear that he was already suffering from the fatigue, listlessness accompanying Hodgkins disease at the time. Yet, appearing for Bombay University’s Bachelor of Management Studies competitive examination in mid-April, he stood within the first 600 students out of the over 50,000 who appeared. When his mother broke down on hearing the diagnosis, it was he who reasoned with her. Hodgkins Lymphoma is today an eminently curable disease and he told her to trust the doctor who had said he would be cured. He has already started chemotherapy, but his greatest concern is whether the side effects will allow him to attend college regularly.

Interacting with people such as the members of this family inspires all of us at CPAA to work with renewed vigour, lending a helping hand to these brave people in their fight against the disease.

Shaina NC's Fashion Show for CPAA

Nana Chudasama, well known for his "I Love Mumbai" programmes aimed at cleaning and greening this great metropolis, has always been our supporter, right from inception. Now it is the turn of his daughter, designer Shaina NC, to show how much she cares for CPAA. In a unique show orchestrated by Hemant Trivedi, Shaina brought together 35 women achievers from various walks of life to showcase her beautiful creations for the benefit of CPAA. Well known, successful women lawyers, teachers, actresses, auctioneers and entrepreneurs besides professional models gave of their precious time to walk the ramp in Shaina's exquisite designs.

The event was a grand fashion show with a cause. Well known women achievers, poet Imtiaz Dharker; theatre actress Lillette Dubey; auctioneer to the famous house of Christie’s Mallika Sagar; actresses Renuka Shahane and Kitu Gidwani; film-maker, Aruna Raje; professor at Bombay University, Nandini Sardesai; singer Rajeshwari Sachdev; textile painter Razia Husain, daughter of M.F. Husain, himself a friend of CPAA; Art of Living instructor, Rhea Pillai Dutt were some of the women who donned different hats to model for the benefit of CPAA.

The programme was sponsored by Fem beauty products, whose Managing Director, Sunita Ramnatkar was one of the models of the evening. The event was hosted by The Regent Hotel. And to crown the occasion, everyone's favourite Dream Girl, Hema Malini not only acted as Chief Guest but actually modeled two of Shaina's outfits to thunderous applause from an appreciative audience. After two shows, the outfits were put on sale, the proceeds of which went to CPAA. Many thanks to all these wonderful women with generous hearts.

Department Reports

Prevention and Early Detection

42 camps and OPDs were held during the month of April. Out of the 31 camps held, 5 were organised at Provident Fund Office, Bandra; 4 at the High Court, Mumbai; 3 for the Mahila Mandal, Department of Atomic Energy Colony, Tarapur; 2 each at Lourde’s Community Centre, Orlem; ONGC, Belapur; National Railway Mazdoor Union, Kurla; IIT, Powai; Goregaon Dudhsagar; Navy, Colaba; Shraddha Vihar Hospital; GSB Mandal, Thane; Mahindra and Mahindra, Kandivli; and one for the Social Service League.

A total of 1022 people, 41 males and 981 females were screened in the camps. 280 people were advised follow up. 11 OPDs and clinics were held during the month. 65 males and 127 females were screened. 65 people were advised follow up.

Smt. Lila Kishanchand Shahani Clinical Diagnostic Centre

The Smt. Lila Kishanchand Shahani Clinical Diagnostic Centre screened 186 persons during April. 484 tests were performed, out of which 402 were pathology tests. 15 sonography, 53 x-ray and 14 mammography investigations were carried out.

Insurance

35 new policies were registered in April, bringing the total to 6778. 71 people were examined, of whom 21 had come for the first check-up and 50 for renewal check up.

Patient Care

At Smt. Panadevi Dalmia Cancer Management Centre

A total of 527 patients were aided, counseled and given guidance at our 5 locations-Srimati Panadevi Dalmia Cancer Management Centre, at Nair, Cama & Albless, Wadia and Tata Memorial Hospitals and the Palliative Care Unit at TMH. 100 patients availed of ambulance facilities, including 2 patients who availed of the stretcher service for long distance. 50 persons were given clothes, 70 packets of biscuits and 70 boxes of Complan were distributed. 18 home and institutional visits were made. 9 of our patients expired during the month. Donations amounting to Rs. 40,000 were collected and Rs. 2,42,825 were disbursed.

At Tata Memorial Hospital

197 patients were aided, guided and counseled by CPAA’s Halima Aurangabadkar at Tata Memorial Hospital during April. 150 packets of biscuits were distributed. 42 patients were given clothes, 6 kgs of sweets were distributed. 10 referred cases were helped. 25 ward visits were made. 13 patients were given medicines and toys were distributed to 24 children. 116 patients were given Complan and Horlicks. 165 patients utilized the ambulance facility including 12 for long distance travel.

Khushbu Raja celebrated her 11^th birthday on 24^th April at TMH. She was gifted a lamp shade by CPAA’s Zakia Topiwala. Zakia also gave 3-year-old Shagufta Ansari a doll and jumping monkey to her great delight. Priyanka Patil was given a garden set.

"Can I Help You?" CPAA’s Desk at Tata Memorial Hospital’s Private OPD

This month, Jennifer Quadros helped 564 patients, providing information and literature on various kinds of cancers to 161 patients and their family members, helping 112 in filling up registration and other forms and answering questions about the hospital for 221. 15 ward visits were made.

At Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children

23 new patients were registered during the month. 812 patients attended follow up of whom 130 patients are undergoing chemotherapy. 35 patients were counseled and given guidance and 15 patients were visited in their wards. 8 group meetings regarding cleanliness and diet were organised. Zakia Topiwala distributed toys and biscuits packets to 40 children on behalf of a donor.

Palliative Care Unit at Tata Memorial Hospital

12 patients, 8 males and 4 females were counseled during the month of April. There were 5 cases of Head and Neck cancers, 3 cases of cancer of the abdomen, one case each of cervical cancer and breast cancer and 2 other cases of cancer.

Mrinal Marathe met a family who had sold their property and other assets to raise Rs. 1 lakh for the treatment of their son, an 18-year-old boy suffering from ALL. Within the month it took to raise the money however, his condition had deteriorated to the extent that the doctors could not offer any treatment. It was hard to console the family who had sacrificed their all only to reach a brick wall.

Counseling at Cama & Albless Hospital Cancer Ward

7 patients were counseled and given guidance. Among these are 2 new patients. 3 patients were registered with CPAA. 5 patients were counseled and given guidance during OPD and ward visits. 5 patients were visited in the wards. 1 terminally ill patient was referred to Shanti Avedana Ashram. Rs. 5000 was provided towards radiation treatment and Rs. 3133 for medicines.

Nair Hospital (Radiation Department)

22 patients were counseled and given guidance at CPAA’s newly started Counseling Cell at Nair Hospital Radiation Department. 5 patient visits were made. 2 terminally ill patients were referred to Shanti Avedana Ashram. Rs. 3,500 was contributed towards radiation treatment and Rs. 11,840 towards medicines. 60 packets of biscuits were distributed.

Rehabilitation

The Rehabilitation Centre adopted four new patients this month. A total of 72 patients were helped. 17 cases of mastectomy were attended and breast prostheses were provided. 225 patients were given rations worth Rs. 22,666. Rs. 19,020 was spent on teachers’ salaries, for patient education and vocational training. Rs. 1 lakh was spent on patients’ wages and Rs. 20,856 was spent on welfare activities, conveyance and diet supplements.

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