Mahatma Gandhi Cancer Hospital and Research Institute is hosting the National Cancer Survivors Day (NSCD) at Dr. Rama Naidu Film Studio here on Sunday.
Addressing a media conference in this connection, Dr. V. Murali Krishna, surgical oncologist and managing director of the hospital, that the event being organised for the first time in the city was an attempt to boost the morale of cancer patients by exposing them to cancer survivors, creating awareness among general public and promoting healthy interaction between patients, healthcare providers and the public.
Survivors would recall their apprehensions on learning for the first time that they had cancer, their fears during treatment and how they felt on being cured of the disease. Dr. Murali Krishna said early detection and treatment would help in curing cancer. As many as 95 per cent of cases could be cured if detected in Stage I. Though there was no dearth of qualified doctors, it was always advisable to go for treatment through a hospital instead of individual doctors.
Major advances in cancer prevention, early detection and treatment have resulted in longer survival. Cancer diagnosis could leave a host of problems in its wake. Survivors could face many challenges such as hindered access to cancer specialists, inadequate insurances, financial hardships and psychological struggles. He underlined the need for improving the quality of life for cancer survivors. A chain of survival would be demonstrated where a survivor, caregiver, a volunteer and an oncology professional speak about their roles as links in the survival.
He said free transport has been arranged for patients, cancer survivors and their relatives from the hospital located at MVP Colony to Rama Naidu Studios and back.
Replying to queries, Dr. Murali Krishna said patients, who survive for five years or more after completion of treatment, could be called as ‘cancer survivors'. There could be no guarantee that the disease could relapse in cured patients. The chances of such recurrence were, however, very rare.
All types of cancer treatments, except a few like bone marrow transplantation and cyber knife treatments, were available in the city. He said their hospital was planning to have a bone marrow transplant unit in future.
To another query, he said while the event this year was open to cancer survivors, who were treated at their hospital there were plans to involve other cancer hospitals in the city in future.
