Wellness Centre for Underpriviliged Cancer Patients

In times of rapid societal change over the last hundred years, we have witnessed accelerated changes in lifestyle that is perhaps more burdensome to our mind and body now, than ever before.

One of the major offshoots of these monumental shifts is the rise of chronic illnesses, such as cancer. It is estimated that India will have 1.86 million cases of cancer by 2026.

However, much of the care available for cancer patients and survivors focuses largely on medication, and not much emphasis is laid on managing the physical, financial and mental repercussions of cancer.

Survivors of cancer have long been recognised to have unique needs and care requirements while undergoing or recovering from such a life-altering illness.

The diagnosis of cancer in particular changes people’s perceptions of their lives and is known to be a highly stressful experience associated with physical distress, emotional trauma and financial difficulties.

A sole focus on biomedical treatments creates a vacuum for patients and a need for complimentary therapeutic interventions that are holistic and scientifically driven.

Sanjeevani...Life Beyond Cancer fills this vacuum and provides a Wellness Program that focuses on helping cancer patients and survivors cope with their condition through the promotion of overall mental and physical wellbeing, thus reducing the chance of recurrence.

The Sanjeevani Wellness Program, with over 1400 beneficiaries and counting, is built on the belief that immunity has a huge role to play in the fight against cancer. Strengthening the immunity of people affected by cancer through diet, breathing exercises, and addressing their primary mental concerns is the backbone of this program.

The well structured, free, 36-session-long program employs a multimodal approach, teaching cancer patients and survivors various processes to understand the role of food, breath, and psychological states in maintaining their immunity.

This is achieved through a combination of

•Psychotherapy to understand their psychological background, provide psycho-education, and assist in an understanding of processes to build positive mental constructs.

• Emotional freedom techniques to address their pent up emotional issues and learn how to release them.

• Art and Dance Movement Therapy for emotional release and expression.

• Yoga and Pranayam to understand the mind-body connect and practice breathing with awareness.

• Nutrition to understand the role of food in our well-being and our digestive cycle so as to promote a healthy lifestyle.

• Reflexology to understand the importance of pressure points that regulate the well-being of our body and practice the same in their daily lives.

Participants have been reported to have had improvements in their cognitive, emotional, and social functioning after completion of the program. This indicates that the program enabled participants to understand and accept their own feelings and thought processes.

Changes in perceptions of their lives help participants achieve

1. Improved mental health - more positive and less afraid.

2. Improved physical health - with a significant reduction in symptoms of pain and other discomforts such as constipation, and diarrhoea.

3. Improved physical, cognitive, and social functioning - more in control of their emotions leading to lower anger and hostility, better understanding of people around them and higher inner strength.

4. Reduced stress concerning finances