Early morning of 16th February 2013, a team of volunteers including Drs. Digpal Dharkar, Baldev Dembani, Tushar Phulambrikar, Gajendra Singh Alawa, Vikas, Gupta, Nilesh Nagar, Ghanshyam Dawar, left for Kala Pipal, a village in Bhopal district.

The cancer awareness and detection programme was a part of the “Swasth mela” organized by the Madhya Pradesh IAS Officers’ Wives Association (IASOWA).

Upon arrival in to the city limits of Bhopal, we were escorted by the Tehsildar, to the venue and ceremoniously welcomed in the arena, by the collector of Bhopal, Mr. Nikunj Shrivastav, himself.

The Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Parasuram, former Chief Secretary, Mrs. Nirmala Buch, Bhopal District Magistrate, Mr. Nikunj Shrivastav, members of IASOWA, Dr Veena Sinha, chief of the JP Hospital, several other specialist doctors, nurses, paramedical staff of the nearby district hospital, other volunteers, large number of poor and underprivileged children and above all several patients numbering few hundred from nearby villages were present.

Without much of delay, a small formal program was started with Mrs. Akthar being the Master of Ceremony, various dignitaries on the Dias, which included Mrs. Buch, Mr. Parasuram, Dr Dharkar and others were welcomed. Later Dr Dharkar addressed the gathering at large and emphasized the role of lifestyle in cancer.

Mrs. Buch in her inaugural address commended the social work done by the association, so also Mr. Parasuram and he insisted on better participation of other officers themselves in this good work carried out by their wives.

A big marquee covered the arena, with designated place for various specialties including Medicine, Cancer, Ophthalmology, Dental, Orthopedic, Investigation and Pharmacy.

Patients were being registered centrally and then were being taken to various specialists; a nice blend of social workers, paramedics and governmental officials was seen.

Approximately 20 patients were examined in the cancer wing of the camp and several patients were offered expert advice by Dr Dharkar, needless to say free of cost, and those of whom required surgery were offered assurance of free surgery at Indore. Matching the commitment of Foundation, an equally commendable effort was seen from Ms. Lina Parasuram, Chairman, IASOWA, where she called up the designated cutting the red tapes and facilitating fiscal help from the government for the medicines and other investigations that would be required for during these operations.

The number of patients and their helplessness was largely evident to all, which perhaps motivated the Chief Secretary to instruct the District Collector to plan a larger surgical camp with breast cancer as a focus for patients from Bhopal district as well as the adjoining districts of Raisen, Rajgarh & Sehore.

After seeing all the patients, the team of doctors along with volunteers and dignitaries ate a delicious packed lunch.

Dr Dharkar planned the road map for this future activity. On the way back he looked at the facilities in the JK Hospital of LN group and JP Hospital of the government of MP and it was decided that the surgical camp would be held in the district hospital at Bhopal, the JP Hospital.

The Foundation’s team thus returned to Indore the same night and overall the camp went off uneventfully.

– As reported by Dr. Tushar Phulambrikar