Kerala - Kannur   

The force behind relief for cancer patients

KANNUR: Cancer patients find great relief in initiatives that offer psychological, social and medical support to them. The Friends for Cancer Care (Force) is such an initiative of the Malabar Cancer Care Society (MCCS).

The launch of the second phase of activities of Force here on Wednesday turned out to be a gathering of cancer patients in the region and voluntary workers involved in cancer care campaign. This was part of a day-long function that included a seminar that discussed various aspects of cancer treatment and social and psychological rehabilitation of the patients.

Group discussions allowed patients to share their views and experiences. The programmes came to a close with a music and comedy presentation by actor Jagadish. Force was inaugurated here last year by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman G. Madhavan Nair.

The objective of the initiative is to allow patients to access a combination of different systems of treatment including modern medicine, Ayurveda, homoeopathy, naturopathy and Yoga.

MCCS president D. Krishnanatha Pai said the experiences and suggestions aired by cancer patients would be consolidated to draw various action plans.

Mr. Jagadish, who inaugurated the programme emphasised the importance of the efforts to inculcate positive thinking among cancer patients even as they were battling a major disease.

Gatherings such as the one being held here would generate a collective sense among them to face adverse situations, he said. He also said the number of people who recovered from cancer was going up.

Apart from medical care, the love and affection the patients were getting from individuals and organisations committed to their rehabilitation also played a major role in giving them a sense of well being, he added.

Mr. Pai presided over the function. Regional Cancer Centre Assistant Professor K. Chandramohan delivered the keynote address.

Medical practitioners K.K. Latheesh Kumar and V.C. Raveendran, Homoeo physician Sunil Raj, Ayurveda physician K. Lakshmanan, Yoga master T.V. Padmanabhan, naturopathy expert Lukose Kathalikattil were among those who spoke at the function.

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