BENGALURU: Cancer patients at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO) will soon have counsellors to inform them about the disease. Director Dr. C Ramachandra said the hospital is all set to sign an MoU with NIMHANS to provide counsellors to help the patients and their families cope with the disease.
“Treating cancer is not just about the treatment. From breaking the news to the patient to chemotherapy and facing the last stages, patients and their families need counselling,” the director said.
The hospital authorities claim that as the number of cancer patients rise, they have to work towards improving the patient’s quality of life along with treatment.
“Cancer patients go through a lot, physically and emotionally. It is important to devise measures to offer their minds some relief,” said a doctor from Kidwai’s Department of Oncology.
He said,“It is not just about the treatment but how it is administered. This could help change the outcome of the treatment in a positive way.”
The hospital will also organise community events and counselling sessions so patients can interact within a support group. They will also offer counselling workshops for the family embers of patients, to help them deal with the challenges, diagnosis and the disease. Group therapy sessions will also be held where survivors will talk about how they made it through. The idea is to offer hope as well as care.
The director is making all efforts possible to provide cancer patients with a calm atmosphere that would be quieter than the usual hustle and bustle of a hospital. The MoU will be signed between the two institutes next week, the KIC director added.