KOCHI: Around 20 palliative care patients living within a 15km radius of Rajagiri Hospital experienced a special Kochi Metro ride organised by the hospital on Thursday.
Among them was Thankamma, a native of Vazhakulam, who had been unable to step out of her home for three years due to illness. The outing gave her a chance to experience something she had thought impossible.
The group assembled at the hospital around 9am and travelled to Aluva metro station on a metro feeder bus. Singer Akhil Dev entertained the participants with cheerful music during the journey. Sai Krishna, senior deputy general manager, and Sajith V G, deputy general manager, of Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) received them at Aluva.
Rajagiri Hospital arranged entertainment programmes and a special lunch for the patients and their family members on their return.
The programme was coordinated by Fr Jose Paul, Fr Isaac Chakkalaparambil and Dr Biju Raghavan, head of the hospital’s pain and palliative care department.
The initiative was jointly organised by the hospital’s pain and palliative care department and Rajagiri Karunya Trust, with support from KMRL.