Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Our heartfelt condolences.....


We, the Volunteers of DNipCare, express our heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of Mr. Thakur Das, who was an acute destitute patient on the pavements of Jantar Mantar Road, Delhi with his both hands  grossly affected by maggots.  He was shifted to Dr. R.M.L. Hospital, New Delhi with the assistance of Police at 8 PM on 26th November 2012, admitted there in the emergency ward, maggots got removed, dressed up his wounds and follow up treatment was on.  However, unfortunately he died of cardiac arrest at 11.50 PM on 27th November 2012 in the hospital.  

Again, at the end of the day, our belief is that he could get a dignified exit from this world looked after by the doctors and carers in an hospital instead of an unknown death under his dirty quilt in the pavement in this cold weather for the people to know, may be, only by the smell when his body starts decaying.  

We also hope that any of his near and dear whose kindness and concern have not exhausted can get the information by recognizing him from the photograph.  

kv hamza, 
Gen. Secretary, DNipCare
www.dnipcare.org


Please also read : http://dnipcare.blogspot.in/2012/11/2611-in-different-way.html

Monday, November 26, 2012

26/11 in a different Way.....


Today is the Fourth anniversary of 26/11, which reminds us about the blot in history when a number of innocent lives succumbed to the bullets of terrorism.   But today we were confronted by another tragic event in Jantar Mantar Road, New Delhi, right under the nose of India’s power centre.  The road is abuzz with rallyists shouting for fulfillment of their demands from Government, the hunger strikers, sit-in and relay dharna activists etc.  Both ends of the road are already blocked with barricades in addition to large number of police contingent to avoid any untoward incident with quite a number of people gathering there. 


However, nothing of these sorts felt to be disturbing Mr. Thakur Das, a gracious veteran with not more than a skeletal body and silver hairs, lying coiled under the dirty quilt under a plastic sheet roof on the pathway of this road.  It was a call from Firoz Ali of Malayala Manorama day before yesterday informing about this man which led us, the team of volunteers of DNipCare, to him.  Niyas of Kollam who stays in Kerala House on this road was also there when two of us, Suresh Thaliriyil and me, made an attempt to see and assess the condition of this age old man who now found to be an acute patient; a patient whose living body is a dwelling unit for thousands of different sized maggots eating the flesh of his both hands and growing relentlessly.  A steel plate lying on his bedsheet was felt to be containing gruel at the first instance, but on a closer look we realized that it is full of white maggots merrily flying to and fro to his wounds.  The pungent smell emanating from him cannot be withstood.  He did not heed to our requests and efforts to convince him to agree for shifting to any hospital or care centre.    We three were also not well equipped to handle that situation medically then and there, but came back with an assurance from him to come with us next day. 

So as planned, we (Suresh Thaliyaril, Anil Mahendru, Haris Beeran, Ajith Kumar, Niyas, Firoze Ali, Jayan K Unnunni and me) reached there today at 6 PM amid the chaotic traffic jam due to rallies by different organizations in the area.  Jayan’s mobile with torch was not only shedding light on the wounds but to the plight of a hapless human being allowing himself to be the prey to maggots attack and thereby to his destiny.  One thing we could gather on informal chatting with the constables deployed on the road was that everybody was well aware of this person who used to live with his wife on this road since last 2 years or so and his wife died about 6 weeks ago leaving him alone on this pavement.  After the demise of his wife he is said to be deteriorating, but seldom willing to talk to passerby.  Somebody was also saying that he belongs to good family and took shelter on the road due to atrocities by his descendants.  

The social and familial background put aside, right now he is a patient before us and requires immediate medical intervention failing which his life is in danger.  But contrary to his promise to be ready to get shifted to hospital, refusing to budge he recoiled to his quilt.  Nothing of our coaxing and cajoling worked on him including our efforts to clean up his wounds. 

Feeling very difficult to leave him to die on the road like that the solution came finally, in way of help of an Inspector of Police, a Good Samaritan, on duty there on the road.  We could mobilize an ambulance with police assistance and shifted him to the emergency ward of Dr.RML Hospital nearby.  The ward boys and the staff in Hospital did really a cumbersome job cleaning out the maggots, fumigating with Turpentine oil and bandaging the wounds.  He has been admitted there for the time being and we hope him to get some good care from the hospital.  However, we have to ensure that he does not go back to the open pathway to be fed by maggots again and so we will have to hand him over to any care centre right at the time of discharge from hospital. 

At the end of the day, when the clock ticks 12, it is felt that ours was also a 26/11 operation, but to join the maggots perforated flesh of a living man.

kv hamza,
Gen. Secretary, DNipCare

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Cancer Awareness & Palliative Care Sensitization Campaign



























Dear friends, 

All are welcome to attend. 


DNipCare (Delhites' National Initiative in Palliative Care) in association with 

St. Stephen’s Orthodox Church, Dilshad Garden, Delhi is conducting a Cancer Awareness & Palliative Care Sensitization Campaign in the Church Hall at 9.45 AM on Sunday 25th November 2012.  



The volunteers will share their experiences including strengths and challenges in rendering Palliative Care for long term, bedridden, terminally ill patients including Cancer patients in the National Capital Territory of Delhi successfully under DNipCare for more than 4 years.  



An interactive session on early detection and prevention of Cancer and curative aspects thereon will also be conducted during the campaign.



The campaign will be inaugurated by Rev. Father Jaise.K.George and presided over by Shri A.T. Sainudin, President, DNipCare. 



With warm regards,



K.V.Hamza,

General Secretary, DNipCare

9891008356

www.dnipcare.org

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Our Homage....

Our Homage.....



We, DNipCare volunteers, fondly remember the sweet smile of Miss Jyoti Charan (21) who bid farewell to all of us, the Palliative families at 3 AM today, the Children’s day, i.e., 14th November 2012. We had been to her bedside yesterday noon also and despite her gasping saw a pale smile on her face, as if assuring to meet us in the hereafter world, before closing her eyes.

We sincerely acknowledge the efforts of all our volunteers especially Hamna Mariyam Binth Ashraf, Mansha Bagai, Seema Prasad, Suresh Thaliyaril,  Lakshmi Radhika Pittala,  Ajith Kumar,  Chanchal Vats,  Deepa Vats,  Shilpa Babu,  Revant Soni, Manish Taneja, Caroline Arthur etc.,  to bring back the forgotten smile of this young beautiful girl in her most difficult time fighting Cancer.
(Photographs of her birthday on 14th October 2012)

kv hamza,
General Secretary, DNipCare
www.dnipcare.org

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Cancer Prevention a part of Palliation






It is not street smartness, but an urge and attitude to serve the society. We were in this Cycle Rikshaw on our way to Cancer Institute from Jhilmill Metro Station to celebrate Deepavali with Cancer patients as a part of DNipCare’s program. The Rikshaw puller Mr. Rajesh took out his pouch of tobacco and was beginning to crush it for chewing. Predominantly with palliative hearts, both of Seema Prasad  and me could not help but speak against in such a way that Rajesh not only gave up the habit immediately by throwing away the entire packet of tobacco  but promised to be with us and contribute his worth to palliation by propagating the message of 'No to Tobacco' to his peer group of Rikshaw pullers. It feels like we could illuminate his heart forever before the houses in Delhi are illuminated for Deepavali in the evening.

kv hamza,
General Secretary, DNipCare
www.dnipcare.org

Deeapavali 2012 Celebrations with Cancer Patients

We, the volunteers of DNipCare along with IIT, Delhi NSS students Celebrated Deepavali 2012 on 13.11.2012 with Cancer Patients in Sir Soba Singh Dharamshala of Delhi State Cancer Institute, Dilshad Garden, Delhi.  





























Friday, November 9, 2012

Our Condolences........






We, the volunteers of DNipCare, express our heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of Mr. Satish Kumar, 32, Cancer Patient of Sector 4, Rohini, Delhi on 3rd November 2012.  We are grateful to all those volunteers like Mr. Deep Devgune, Mrs. Seema Prasad,  Mr. Cyriac Antony, Ms Caroline Arthur, Mr. Dinesh Prasad, etc. for their committed support for Mr. Satish in providing Palliative Home care when he was in dire need for the same.

With regards,

kv hamza,
General Secretary, DNipCare
www.dnipcare.org
9891008356