Dormitory seats free for cancer patients

Assam Bhawan, Mumbai

GUWAHATI, March 13: There has been a crying need for someone to step in as a messiah for hundreds of cancer patients from Assam and other States in the region who have to pay through their noses for food and lodge, let alone treatment. Taking a step forward towards that end, Deepsikha Foundation, in collaboration with Seth Bhojraj Hassomal Charitable Trust, has decided through an MOU signed on Tuesday to sponsor all the 84 dormitory seats at Assam Bhawan, Mumbai for cancer patients.

Hundreds of cancer patients from Assam and other north-eastern States flock Mumbai for advanced treatment of cancer at Tata Memorial Hospital.

Besides the huge cost of treatment, the patients have to incur heavy expenditures related to board and lodge. Even the cheapest accommodation around Tata Memorial Hospital would cost not less than Rs.1,000 per day, not to speak of the expenditure on food, said Deepsikha Foundation head Debashish Sarma.

Assam Bhawan, Mumbai and Deepsikha Foundation have been playing a major role to bring some respite to the cancer patients and their relatives visiting Mumbai by providing affordable accommodation, food and support to these patients since 2004, Sarma said.

It was, however, noticed that economically challenged patients found it very difficult to pay even the minimum amount of Rs. 40 charged per seat in the dormitory as they are accompanied by attendants and need to stay on for months together in Mumbai during the course of their treatment.

Keeping in this mind Deepsikha foundation made dormitory seats free for cancer patients in its Arogya Bhawans (shelter homes for patients) in Mumbai a year ago.

The latest step should surely go a long way in bringing some respite to cancer patients who visit Mumbai for treatment.