In 2017, CanSupport team got Mamta (name changed)’s referral on the helpline. At that time, she was getting treated for ca breast at AIIMS.
When the home care team met her, she had already undergone surgery and had been taking chemotherapy sessions post that. She was experiencing side effects like hair loss, nausea, loss of appetite, and physical pain. But the biggest cause of her distress was losing hair. Every chance she looked at herself in the mirror, she would sink into depression.
“I started losing my hair about 10 days after my first chemo. I remember washing my hair and ending up with a huge clump of hair in my hand. I didn’t want to look at myself in the mirror for days,” shared Mamta.
Mamta is from a lower middle class family and lives in a rented accommodation. Before she got cancer, she was an average middle class married Indian woman. Her life revolved around taking care of the house and family. She loved to cook, clean and tend to her kitchen garden. She has three children, two sons and a daughter. Her elder son is in a private job and the younger two children are students. Her husband works out of Delhi and comes home solely on the weekends. She would look forward to the weekends, to seeing her husband and for the family to be doing things together.
Cancer changed everything. Mamta lost interest in her daily activities and would always be gloomy. With both her husband and elder son busy at work, her younger son became her primary caretaker.
The first priority for the team was to take care of Mamta’s physical pain. With better pain control, the team focussed on her stress and anxiety. The counselor helped Mamta deal with her hair loss by reminding her that hair or no hair, she is the same person as before and that it was important for her to be kind to herself. He also boosted Mamta’s morale by offering her hope and courage to move forward. He reminded Mamta that, “Medication simply isn’t enough. You need to be able to take control of things yourself and become an active player in your own life.” Mamta was also encouraged to set small goals to get up and do her normal chores as she continued to battle through the symptoms of chemotherapy.
The family was also concerned that due to lack of resources, they may not be able to give Mamta a nutritious diet. The nurse informed them on how to prepare a healthy, balanced diet at home without spending a lot of money.
The team also educated her children on how they could help Mamta live a normal daily life with optimism and how they could bolster her.
The team further assured the family of their continued support at all stages.
Mamta once again started taking interest in her daily household chores. With her symptoms and anxiety under control, she began getting back to her old confident self.
“I remember waking up one day and the fear was gone. I was no longer afraid of looking at myself in the mirror and started to admire myself wearing a scarf or even without it. CanSupport team got me there,” says Mamta. Gradually, Mamta’s condition improved and she was able to recover from cancer.
But the family had yet to face another onslaught. In 2019, Mamta’s husband started having difficulty in swallowing food. He consulted a resident doctor and took medication. When there was no improvement in his condition, he was referred to AIIMS where he was diagnosed with ca oesophagus. The whole family was in shock. He had to immediately undergo three cycles of chemotherapy. This put the family under a greater financial strain.
The regular visits by CanSupport team immensely benefited the family in sharing their doubts and concerns. The medical and emotional support by the team, to both Mamta and her husband helped them deal with their anxieties and fears, and they developed a deeper bond with the team.
With the CanSupport team by their side, the family is moving forward in unison facing the situation head on with courage, optimism and confidence. They are not defeated, rather they are determined to win.
Currently, the team is actively involved with taking care of Mamta’s husband as he prepares for a PET scan. They are especially grateful for the support they are getting during the ongoing pandemic that has rescued them from going pillar to post seeking help and assistance. Help has been brought to their doorstep by CanSupport.
There are many people like Mamta and her family who need palliative care but they don’t know where to go. While CanSupport is doing its best the reach out to people informing them about their services, we request you to spread the word.
Share our Helpline Number 011-41010539 with all the needy people. Though all CanSupport services are free of charge for patients, the cost of reaching out to patients and caring for them cost Rs. 1400/- per visit per patient.
If you would like to support our cause, please donate at https://cansupport.org/donate