Healing Through Camps
As part of our healthcare drive we organize regular camps for cancer screening, Continuing Medical Education, eye care, etc.
Cancer screening camps
Cancer can be cured if caught at an early stage. Yet in rural areas, patients (especially women with breast cancer who are too embarrassed to be tested) often come to hospitals only in the 3rd and 4th stages of the disease. By this time it is often too late to do anything and treatment becomes very expensive. As such, in rural areas we organize regular camps to screen for cancer.
Oncologists from the Cancer Institute in Adyar do the actual screening, free of charge, while we pay for any medication prescribed; local organizations arrange for follow-up sessions after each camp.
Since 2003 we have held 7 camps in and around the Kanchipuram district.
In addition to the screening, we use the camps to spread awareness about cancer and the need to catch it early. For example, we teach women above the age of 35 that they need to come forward for periodic examination.
Continuing Medical Education (CME) camps
In rural areas, primary health centre (PHC) gynecologists are the first people approached by women who suspect they have cancer. Yet, these doctors very often have a limited understanding of the disease.
We therefore started arranging for trainers from the Apollo Cancer Hospital to visit rural areas and train local gynecologists to screen for cancer.
Our 1st CME camp was in Kuttralam (Tirunalveli) in 2009. It was organized with the support of the government, in association with the Tirunalveli Medical College, and the Rotary Club of Kuttralam. It was a 2-day event, with 120 participants (of whom 90 were doctors, the remaining being Rotarians, teachers, NGO employees, etc.).
In the 2nd camp, 750 nursing students formed a human chain and also took part in interactive sessions, to learn and spread awareness about cancer and the evils of tobacco.
Other camps
We have also organized…
- Eye screening campsfor school children, in coordination with Sankara Nethralaya and Sankara Hospital, Pammal
- Dental campsfor school children, in association with Baskar Dental Foundation
- A Thalesemia awareness programme- presenting toys and gifts to children affected by the blood disorder, in association with the Institute of Child Health, Egmore