‘Caring 4’ puts smiles on the faces of Leukemia-afflicted

Kozhikode: ‘Caring 4’, a project of the Institute of Palliative Medicine (IPM) at Medical college here for the leukemia afflicted, has been doing a yeoman’s service in bringing back joy to the lives of children. It envisions care and protection to the disease-afflicted children of six districts in Malabar.

“This is the seventh year of ‘caring 4’ since its inception. We function at the leukemia ward at the Institute of Maternal and Child Health (IMCH) at the government medical college here. At present 25 kids under-12 are being covered under the project,” says Jose Pulimootil, vice-chairman of the Palliative Care Society which runs the IPM. When a child is afflicted with the disease, the family is devastated as the single earning father has to take care of the sick child and therefore the studies of the other children may be affected.

“We are offering support to the family. Our volunteers should take care of the kid’s needs in hospital so that the father can go to work. Similarly, the palliative group concerned at the village would provide home care, provide vehicles, offer free accommodation for relatives at medical college etc,” added Mr Jose. Financial help is also being extended to cases which have been excluded from the government’s cancer treatment scheme and those who are advised bone marrow transplantation.

“On every May 1, we conduct a get-together of children who have been cured and those who are still on treatment. The day witnesses the display of talents of the children; singing, dancing, acting, painting etc,” says Sheela Bhai K.K, the social worker at IPM.

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