C4CCCI, a project to take care of needy patients

Nandu, a cancer survivor, lighting the lamp to inaugurate the C4CCCI (courtesy:The Hindu)


Caring for Childhood Cancer and Chronic Illness (C4CCCI), a project to take care of children suffering from leukaemia and other chronic diseases, has started functioning in Kozhikode.
The project, a joint venture of the Department of Paediatrics, Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH), and Institute of Palliative Medicine, Kozhikode, was inaugurated on Wednesday by Nandu, a leukaemia survivor, and Sarika, who is undergoing treatment for the disease.
The launch of a charitable venture exclusively for leukaemic children marks another milestone in development of facilities for cancer patients in north Kerala, which already has a strong and extensive network of community-supported palliative care facility. In its first phase, the C4CCCI will mainly support over 100 children registered with the leukaemia ward of the Institute of Maternal and Child Health (IMCH) in the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.

While the patients will get free chemotherapy treatment at the IMCH, the C4CCCI will provide palliative care and support to the poor patients who need expensive medicines. The C4CCCI will also provide travel costs for the patients and free food during their stay at the hospital. This is expected to help patients from poor families who have to travel a long distance to reach the hospital for treatment. A major objective of the C4CCCI is to raise the rate of cure among children afflicted with leukaemia since it has been found to be low compared to that in developed countries. The low cure rate here is believed to be because treatment is not affordable and within easy reach of many patients.

A number of organisations have already announced support to the venture. The Kuwait Calicut Muslim Association (KCMA) on Wednesday donated toys for leukaemia-affected children. Actor Mammootty, who is also patron of the Pain and Palliative Care Society, launched a website of the C4CCCI and promised his support to its activities.

Dr.Lulu Mathews, chairperson, C4CCCI, and head, department of paediatrics, CMC. said the Rs.35-lakh ward for leukaemics at the medical college had considerably improved facilities for treatment of the disease. Leukaemia was no longer considered an incurable disease, she pointed out citing several cases of children surviving the disease after treatment at the hospital.

C.A. Ali Koya, chairman, APEX International School, made the first donation to the venture. A member of the audience who chose to remain anonymous announced a donation of Rs.1 lakh. DR.T.P. Ashraf, Superintendent, IMCH, and DR.Ajith Kumar, Assistant Professor, Leukaemia ward, IMCH, also spoke at the function held at Taj Residency to launch the C4CCCI.

SOURCE:The Hindu