Through this initiative, the Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation hopes to reduce the barriers associated with the cure of paediatric cancers.
The Trustees of Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation launched a paediatric long stay facility – “Lakshmi Children’s Health Centre, a unit of Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation” at Gandhinagar 8th December 2019. Deputy Chief Minister Dr. C N Ashwath Narayan, Sri. R V Deshpande (Former Revenue Minister and MLA), Sri. Dinesh Gundu Rao (KPCC President and MLA), Sri. P C Mohan (MP) and Smt. Latha Naveen Kumar Tejasvi (Corporator) inaugurated the facility and praised the foundation for the work being done for cancer patients. On this occasion, the Trustees felicitated Smt. Meera S Naidu for benevolently providing the building to establish this facility.
Paediatric Cancers have one of the highest cure rates across the world. Unfortunately, many parents in India, especially from rural India, are unable to avail treatment services for their children with childhood cancers as most paediatric cancer care units are located in metropolitan cities. When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the parents will have to worry about finding an affordable place to stay in the city, managing food and other expenses as well as taking care of any other children that they may have. The duration of treatment for childhood cancers may vary from 6 months to 1 year and for this period, the parents are under tremendous stress both emotionally and financially. Many parents are left with no option, but to seek symptomatic relief from local hospitals and face the unfortunate death of their child that could have been avoided.
Recognising these issues, the Trustees of Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation were eager to open a long stay facility for children with cancer and their parents, and were looking for the ideal place to start this. As an answer to their prayers, Smt. Meera S Naidu, voluntarily came forward to provide the building for this facility in the heart of Bangalore which is now named Lakshmi Children’s Health Centre – A unit of Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation, Smt. Meera S and R.S. Naidu Block.
This facility has 30 fully furnished rooms spread across 3 floors. Each floor has a common area for dining and children’s recreational activities. Families will be given functional kitchenettes to cook food as per their comfort. Transportation to and from the hospital for the treatment will also be provided. This landmark initiative of Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation will provide the above mentioned services and additional services such as psychological support, nutritional counselling and a learning environment for the children completely free of cost!
Through this initiative, the Foundation hopes to reduce the barriers associated with the cure of paediatric cancers. The Foundation’s efforts to provide state of the care to all and help build a society of healthy children and adults has been growing steadily, thanks to the many donors and well-wishers from near and far.
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