Philanthropy brings their joy back

A caring industrialist lights up faces of two girls and a boy, says this news item in The Hindu. May God Bless the industrialist, prays Dilip.

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Source: The Hindu, 13-07-2006

K.V. Prasad

A caring industrialist lights up faces of two girls and a boy

COIMBATORE: The smile on the face of the mothers said it all. Their children have been cured of cancer and can grow up as any others in their neighbourhood. Deep in their heart, they will remain indebted to an industrialist's philanthropy.

Two girls and a boy prepare to leave the paediatric cancer wing at the Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Oncology and Research, cured of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Director of the institute P. Guhan credits Managing Director of Kumaran Mills D. Krishnaswamy with giving the children a fresh lease of life.

Costly treatment

"It is a curable disease but a lot of money is needed for treatment," says Dr. Guhan. Six months of stay in the hospital involves daily chemotherapy and the cost of treatment during this period is Rs.2.5 lakh even if the patients are in a general ward. A special ward will take the cost to Rs.5 lakh.

"Most of the children are from families that cannot afford this cost. So, they need help from philanthropists," he points out. Many such children keep coming but are in need of funds for a total cure.

The institute, functioning from the Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, has a free ward for poor cancer patients. And, this ward - Muthusamy Naidu Memorial Ward - is also the contribution of an industrialist's family in Udumalpet.

Doctor's fee

"Their corpus of Rs.50 lakh has helped us provide 18 free beds. Poor patients need not pay the bed charges and the doctor's fee is also waived. They need to pay only the cost of drugs and chemotherapy. And, this is where philanthropists can help," says Dr. Guhan. According to him, Mr. Krishnaswamy had come to the hospital for a relative's treatment and saw the plight of the children who had completed two out their four months hospital stay. He then offered to meet the treatment cost that ran into some lakhs. "I am very happy to be a part of this movement," says Mr. Krishnaswamy, explaining the sense of satisfaction derived from saving the lives of the children. "We (he and Dr. Guhan) will continue to help them till they are completely cured." The children need to be given oral drugs after discharge, says Dr. Guhan.