The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Shanta calls for forging voluntary cancer network

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 26, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Shanta calls for forging voluntary cancer network

Special Correspondent

She says it is essential to create awareness She dedicates the award to the joint efforts of all doctors and employees of the institute

ANOTHER HONOUR: Dr. V. Shantha, executive chairperson of the Cancer Institute being felicitated by Sarojini Varadappan, president of Women's Indian Association. — Photo: Vino John

CHENNAI: Cancer awareness among the poor and rural people is very low and most of the affected patients come for treatment at an advanced stage, making it difficult for doctors to cure them, said V. Shanta, executive chairman of the Cancer Institute (WIA), here on Tuesday.

Replying to felicitation offered to her by the Women's Indian Association here on her being conferred with the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Dr. Shanta said at present the institute could cure only one out of three cancer patients as most of them were in an advanced stage. The recovery level could be two out of three if they came earlier.

She appealed to voluntary organisations and self-help groups to form a network to spread cancer awareness among people. It should be a continuous process and not a piecemeal approach. She said cancer was cent per cent curable if treatment was started at the beginning itself.

She dedicated the award to the joint efforts of all doctors and employees of the institute.

President of the association Sarojini Varadappan, said Dr. Shanta had put her heart and soul into developing the institution. She was happy to inform that one of the sponsors of the institute was the association, which offered help when it was not forthcoming from the Government.

Former Vice-Chancellor of Mother Teresa Women's University, K.Vasanthi Devi, said Dr. Shanta dedicating the award to the institute showed her simplicity. AVM Saravanan, film producer, said the institute's free service to the poor was commendable at a time when medical treatment had become commercialised. Members of various voluntary organisations lauded Dr. Shanta's work.

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