To support the treatment of 50 poor/underprivileged Cancer patients at the Cancer Centre of the Shree Krishna Hospital, Karamsad, Gujarat

The Mandal’s Cancer Initiative:

Anand and Kheda districts of Gujarat are tobacco producing areas, and as a result, tobacco is not only produced in large quantities, but is also consumed through various means in large quantities. This, together with the fact that cancer is a disease that can be cured if diagnosed early, had prompted Charutar Arogya Mandal to initiate its cancer education, awareness and early detection programmes in over 900 villages in 1999 in collaboration with the Tribhuvandas Foundation, an NGO working in maternal and infant care. The Mandal, through the project period of 10 years, has trained village health workers of Tribhuvandas Foundation in educating the community regarding cancer and benefits of early detection. These workers have also been trained in diagnosing early symptoms of cancer so that they can send those they suspect to Shree Krishna Hospital for further examination. Through its continuing extension activities in over 150 villages of Anand, Kheda and Panchmahal districts under the TATA Trusts sponsored Programme for NCDs, their efforts have continued and have been intensified. When the Project was first launched in 1999, the increasing number of cancer cases being detected led to the realisation that there had to be diagnostic and treatment facilities within the hospital that matched the best in the field. At the time, there was no facility available for treatment of cancer except in Ahmedabad.

Needy and economically less privileged families who are barely able to make the two ends meet with their meagre incomes first draw down their own savings and liquidate assets to meet treatment costs. Borrowings and financial aid from various communities, groups and friends, family and the state would be the next resort. Despite this, many people have to discontinue treatment, unable to bear the financial burden. This puts them through the grappling experience of having to helplessly watch a loved one painfully inch towards death. This is where donors and donor organizations could step in to save a precious life and prevent the family from falling into a abyss of debt which could last for over a generation in some cases.

Manibhai Shivabhai Patel Cancer Centre at Charutar Arogya Mandal

In the backdrop as explained above, the Mandal established the M.S. Patel Cancer Centre, a state-of-the-art facility with Radiation & Medical Oncology services in the year 2004. The Centre which was funded by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust was started with facilities for radiation and medical oncology, two Linear Accelerator, CT Simulation, 3-D Treatment Planning System, Image Guided Brachytherapy for Radiation and a full fledged Day Care Facility for the Chemotherapy. Since its inauguration by Shri Ratan Tata, the Centre has, over the last 16 years, earned the goodwill not only of the local community but also remote areas of the State.

As a result of increasing workload at the Centre over these years, and in view of the complexities of the cases received, it was necessary to add to the facilities for the radiation oncology. This was achieved with the installation of a new Linear Accelerator received with fund support from the Tata Trusts and having distinct features such as Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). Considering the growing requirement for Bone Marrow Transplant procedures for blood cancers and other blood disorders such as thalassemia, the Bone Marrow Transplant facility was added in 2015 to the Cancer Centre, completing the array of Oncology services at the Hospital. Taking into account the increased inflow of patients, one more advanced Linear Accelerator was added in 2017. To enhance diagnostic capabilities, a 3 Tesla MRI machine was installed in May 2018, which enables early detection of tumours, stones and growths. The old Brachytherapy machine was replaced by a new one of Varian make in August 2020.

The Centre, with its modern facilities and a compassionate team of clinical and para-clinical staff as well as social workers, is proving to be one of the best options available for the treatment of cancer across the state. The M.S. Patel Cancer Centre is registered on the National Cancer Grid, which is a distinction and a recognition of the extensive work being done at the Centre. Last year, the Centre of the hospital had 36097 admissions out of which around 3200 patients required Chemotherapy cycles and 4000 patients were put on Radiation therapy and 545 onco surgery of which 2200 are new patients.

Though the Centre is functional in the Anand and Kheda districts of Gujarat, it has registered patients not only from various districts of Gujarat but also from other states which include MP, Rajasthan and UP. The Centre has been receiving patients from all strata of society, out of which there are many who would not have pursued the expensive treatment of cancer, had the Mandal and the donors not supported them financially. The Centre, with the most modern technology and a range of experienced and compassionate experts and cancer caregivers has evolved as a shelter to numerous needy victims of the disease.