My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of May 2021. She underwent all her tests with a lot of courage, taking this illness as any other normal body ailment. But soon enough, she started experiencing a lot of fatigue and weakness.

Being the only child of my parents, my mother’s diagnosis was very overwhelming for me. I had lost my father many moons ago and felt all alone. I did not know how I would take care of my mother along with balancing my responsibilities towards my husband and in laws. It all looked so daunting.

Soon my mother’s treatment started. She was put on medication and was asked to go through chemotherapy. Her first chemotherapy was set up on June 10, 2021. All went fine until the next chemotherapy 20 days later, after which a pus-filled blister started developing above her right breast near the shoulder. Her blood pressure went up and she developed fever due to which she was very restless.

Another 20 days, and her fever shot up to 102 degrees. It rained heavily that day and I couldn’t make it to my mom’s house. I could only visit her next on July 22. Looking at her blister, which had grown and looked bad, I booked an appointment with the doctor for the very next day. The doctor examined her blister and recommended a procedure. The one-and-a-half-hour-long procedure was so painful that it left us both teary-eyed.

Thereafter, the dressing on her wound had to be changed frequently. Every time the dressing was changed, my mother experienced a lot of pain. Not only that, but the pain also persisted for one entire week. Each time the ward boy flushed out the oozing pus and cleaned the wound, my mom would cry in pain.

I was anxious about how would she be able to bear the pain until the wound fully heals up, and that could easily take a month or more. She had become bedridden and my worries were increasing when, out of the blue, a friend told me about CanSupport and its home care services to cancer patients, that too free of charge. What more could I ask? This sounded like sugar to my ears. I called CanSupport’s helpline number, and the phone was answered by the sweetest voice I had ever heard. I unhesitatingly shared about my mother’s situation and requested the helpline counsellor to send their home care team to visit my mother.

Next day, both me and my mother met the team that comprised a doctor, nurse and counsellor. The team felt like God sent. As I introduced the team to my mother, she commented that the team nurse resembled her gynae, who had helped her with my birth in Amritsar years ago! I was overjoyed to see my mother warm up to the team so fast.

The team doctor reviewed my mother’s medical reports, checked her medicines and shared his valuable advice. The team nurse did a fresh dressing on my mother’s wound and, for the first time, my mother did not experience any pain. Further, the nurse talked to my mother and gave her all the hope for full recovery. My mother, who feared getting her dressing changed to an extent that she once wet her clothes in the hospital, was relieved that it wasn’t as painful as it had been all along. She really thanked the nurse and blessed her. From then on, the team regularly started visiting my mother to manage her symptoms and to change her dressing.

I was relieved that my mother wasn’t alone anymore and that the home care team from CanSupport was supporting her at her home through this difficult phase.

One particular day, the CanSupport team was to come on their next visit and, also to change the dressing. That day, my mother finished her breakfast early morning and, for the first time in days, she ate heartily and sat on a chair - constantly looking towards the CCTV camera screen. She was eagerly waiting for the team to arrive and broke into a smile as she soon as she saw them entering the house.

She welcomed the team warmly and was really happy. The team sister gave her a fresh dressing, making sure my mother didn’t experience any pain, and cleaned the area around the wound. The doctor examined her, suggested a few simple exercises for her speedy recovery, and advised a healthy diet for her.

Every time the team leaves from my mother’s house, she waits for their next visit. I am so thankful to the team for their kind, supportive care. Now I don’t feel so burdened since I know that my mother’s symptoms due to chemotherapy are being managed very well by the team.

I wish we have many more such teams. This kind of free of charge home care service is a boon for both the patients and their family. God bless the team. May they achieve all success and happiness in work and life. Thank you CanSupport. I’ll definitely share about CanSupport with whoever I meet.