The Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology observed the hospice and palliative care day, on Saturday.
To help patients in the final stages of cancer to embrace death without regrets is the aim of the palliative care department. A team of volunteers and doctors help ease excruciating pain, anxiety and depression that afflict patients, if not cure them completely.
“There may be a limit for cure but certainly not for the care while dealing with terminally ill patients,” said Dr KB Linge Gowda, Director, Kidwai, while speaking on the occasion.
This year’s theme is 'Hidden Lives, Hidden Patients'. Several patients and volunteers shared their experiences. Volunteers who have put in years of service were also felicitated.
Meena Nayak, volunteer, Department of Palliative care, KIDWAI, explained that the patients who were admitted there suffered from excruciating pain.
“In such cases, we have no option but to administer pain killers and and oral morphin solution (OMS) is given. This addresses the pain and also avoids the thought of regret about living.”
Nayak also explained that in most cases, it was the caregiver who encounters more emotional distress and financial hardship and undergoes trauma.
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