Shanti Avedna Sadan celebrates three decades of providing free of cost pain management to cancer patients

Shanti Avedna Sadan was recently seen completing its thirthieth year of unconditional services and help to cancer patients for giving them relief from cancer pain.

While not many people are aware about it, it is one of India's very first Hospice, providing free of cost pain management to advanced and terminal cancer patients with branches in Mumbai Delhi and Goa.In fact, it is probably the largest hospice in the world today with 100 beds in Mumbai, fourty beds in Delhi and thirty beds in Goa.

The institution cares for advanced and terminally Cancer patients ,irrespective of community caste or creed and totally free of any cost.

The name is Shanti Avedna Sadan means Peace in the absence of pain in a Home. It was started in Nov 1986 and Dr.L.J.de Souza,Ex chief of Surgery at the Tata Memorial Hospital and Surgeon/Oncologist was the Founder and is presently the Managing Trustee.

The institute is India's very first Hospice and now has branches in Mumbai Delhi and Goa.In fact it is probably the largest hospice in the world today with 100 beds in Mumbai, fourty beds in Delhi and thirty beds in Goa.The institution cares for advanced and terminally Cancer patients ,irrespective of community caste or creed and totally free of any cost.

" To date we have looked after over 30,000 inmates and not one of them has paid one single paisa for the care given.No treatment is given for the cancer as we admit them only when all active treatment is over." Dr.L.J.de Souza informed Medical Dialogues Team

All treatment to keep the patient comfortable and at peace is given by a dedicated team of care givers,especially the trained Holy Cross Sisters which look after all three branches.The patients have to be referred by their doctors with history of cancer diagnosis and the treatment they have received so that they can continue further in Palliation

Our special  focus is in the control of pain with the use of morphine and other drugs.

When asked about the message for doctors, he said "It is important to inform the doctors that the Hospice is a place for the living and not for the dying. By this we mean that We add life to days that are remaining rather then days to prolong life. Many patients feel so much better after they come to the Sadan that also 20% return home for the end,many feeling themselves cured of their cancer with the care given.

"We therefore want the patients to be referred earlier than later so that we can achieve our objective to relieve their pain and suffering and bring peace for the end. If they are referred in the gasping stage only for a death certificate we cannot help them at all and it is best to let them be at home for the end ."he added

You can check out more information about the Sadan by clicking on their website

http://www.shantiavednasadan.in/about.htm