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Reports
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The
Process of Volunteering Department
Reports At
Smt. Panadevi Dalmia Cancer Management Centre
A Report on the Presentation made by Ms. Alka Kapadia, Executive Director, CPAA This year has been declared "The International Year of the Volunteer." In this connection, the Tata Group had organised a seminar for the benefit of their employees. Ms. Alka Kapadia, Executive Director, CPAA was one of the speakers invited to address the group of 200 people who had come forward to participate in volunteering activities. Reproduced below is her report. Volunteering is not a new concept, it has been effective since times immemorial, be it in the form of social activities, religious functions, community welfare programs, PTAs and so on. There are always a large number of individuals with the qualifications, income and leisure wanting to pursue a cause that they believe in. Simply put, any individual who chooses to freely give his time, talent and experience to assist and support others in need, is a volunteer. Before coming for this session you were asked to fill in the Volunteer Registration form. This may have been the first time that you thought about volunteering, or gave it serious thought. You were then prodded further by the form and asked to decide on one particular cause. You would probably have ticked the one that was closest to you emotionally. The form then encouraged you to think about the ways in which you would contribute. Many of you may have chosen the most hassle free jobs. If we analyse ourselves honestly, in 80% of us at this stage, the desire to volunteer is casual; the selection of the cause, which we will patronize, is emotional or maybe even fashionable. And the path of volunteering is absolutely unclear and not thought out. As a result, volunteers quickly become disillusioned and programs are destined for failure before taking off. It is of paramount importance that each volunteer should believe in the cause that he patronises, in order to be successful in his volunteering. For any cause to succeed, we need committed and dedicated volunteers. Please experiment with different fields before deciding on the cause that is closest to your heart. I would emphasise here, be serious about wanting to volunteer, select a cause and an organisation you believe in, review what you can give, not necessarily in your immediate sphere of expertise, but even your hobbies. Commit to only what you can do and what you feel good about. Finally, be true to yourself and to the commitment you have made. Volunteering should be viewed personally as philanthropy and not charity. It should be a process in which you both give and receive adequately, a process, which is as much for yourself as for the others you are trying to help, a process of learning, accommodating, understanding and giving within the framework of requirement, respecting the credo of the organisation that you are working with. At CPAA, we have people coming in to volunteer every day, all of them wanting to work with the patients. One such person was a product manager from a leading pharmaceutical company having the educational qualifications of a counselor, but who did not take that up as her job. She was keen, enthusiastic, and very dedicated. She would come regularly and sit with our counselors on Saturdays during their counseling sessions or even for hospital visits. She was good at her job and soon she started counseling patients visiting our centre. After a period of about 8 months, she started feeling that in many cases conventional chemotherapy was not the answer, but should be replaced by alternative medicine. As counselors, at no stage do we have the right to meddle with treatment patterns and we never give advice about the same. Many a times, patients end up confused to a large extent. The will to volunteer and passion to serve was immense, thoughts were noble and reactions normal, but in no way could CPAA have a representative giving out messages against conventional treatment. Volunteerism is a mixture of both self-interest and altruism, something which appeals to both social and personal self-interest. Volunteering should be a symbiotic experience shared between the volunteer and the voluntary agency, which work together in harmony, interdependently, patronizing a common cause, requiring the presence of each other in deriving satisfaction from combined existence. Effective utilization of a volunteer largely depends on the organization with which they are working. Therefore it is essential to select the right organizational set up. The voluntary agency has a responsibility to identify the volunteer's passion and capabilities and involve them accordingly, giving due recognition and responsibility with authority, motivating leadership, challenging, time-bound projects and constantly reviewing and evaluating interest in the job assigned. Such meticulous synergism ensures lengthy association between the volunteer and the organization. A successful volunteer based program is like a happy marriage which makes a perfect picture but does not exhibit the continuous efforts and inputs that go into it. Today NGOs are in the midst of change. The need of the day is for broader vision, absolute transparency and no compromise of standards in performance levels. With increasing financial constraints, it is becoming imperative for all NGOs to utilise volunteers to the widest extent possible, not only in actual field related activities but at every level be it Accounts, IT, Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations, all of which are required today for the efficient running of any NGO. A volunteer can still play a very major role in assisting the organization without participating in the field work of the organization. Corporate volunteers like you could contribute immensely, not necessarily with time and money but through contacts, by creating awareness about the cause and utilising resources available to you. Corporate involvement with the voluntary sector could be very effective and beneficial to both parties, if worked out correctly.
On 26th January, just before 9am, all of us felt the earth shake. A pen I was working with ominously rolled to the edge of the table and fell over. As reports of the huge tragedy in Gujarat started pouring in, we rushed to contact our near and dear ones close to the epicentre in Bhuj. CPAA has a special friend in Dr. Dinesh Harani, Founder of the Gandhidham Cancer Society, a doctor practicing in the area, who is working in Kutch on the control of cancer from Awareness Lectures to Early Detection to Rehabilitation much as CPAA does. Dr. Harani has always been prompt, keeping in touch through email and I was anxious when no reply came to my email messages. I was therefore relieved to get the following email from him last week. "Thanks for your concern. The Internet services are down here and I am communicating via Rajkot/Jamnagar line. Even power supply has been restored recently. Our cancer society's office is down into rubbles. Luckily there is no physical injury to my family members or me. But soon after the earth-quake, we, the available doctors were too busy as the injured patients started rushing in hundreds and we had to treat them out-side on the roads/ footpaths as our hospitals were badly damaged and nobody wanted to take the risk of entering the premises; the power and all means of communications were shattered and we were lost to out-side world. Many doctors' family members were affected and we were only 7-8 doctors available to whole of Gandhidham and surrounding territory. The bandages/ medicines were all finished within couple of hours and we were working against all possible odds. We were working entirely according to our instincts; although I am not an orthopedic surgeon or traumatologist, but still I was giving plaster and slabs; whether in correct manner or not, I did not know. But I had to continue with good faith in my heart as there was no time to think, learn or ask anybody. There was no shed available and many times we got dehydrated and had to drink electrolyte powder solution to carry on. Then on third evening the first out-side medical team arrived and we were partly relieved. By then we might have treated about 1500 cases; 50% of them in a real pitiable state and had to be transferred outside Kutch by whatever means. Then we could start a trauma center in a Dharamshala, which was relatively in a better shape. Now plenty of medical teams from India and abroad have arrived managed by many NGOs. They all are doing good job but unfortunately on individual basis, without coordinating with each other or with local hospitals/doctors. The doctors in these teams keep on changing every 2-3 days and proper follow up treatment of the patients is not satisfactory. We are trying to coordinate all these NGOs together but all have different ideas. We strongly feel that every town should have a minimum 50-100 bed hospital, earthquake proof, with basic infrastructure, which would be highly useful in such situation. All outside medical teams can camp in these hospitals with satellite centers all around in villages, maybe arranged in tents on emergency basis. We Indians are really most unorganised people, self centered and with no definite ideas when, how and where to work. Sorry, I think that I am being too emotional. At the present we will have to halt all the activities of cancer society and concentrate on rehabilitation of affected people. But some day, when we will make a Cancer center, we will definitely keep in mind to make necessary arrangements to tackle such disasters. We are sleeping outdoors as most of us still feel giddy indoors!!" CPAA congratulates Dr. Harani for his brave and timely actions in the face of this calamity. Prevention and Early Detection 23 camps and OPDs were held during the month of January. Out of the 10 camps held, 2 each were held at Bhuigaon, Vasai; Suvrna Hospital and Innerwheel Club of Bombay Island and at Chemical Terminal, Chembur and for Hoechst, Worli.
A total of 399 people, 199 males and 200 females were screened in the camps. 113 were advised follow up. 13 OPDs and clinics were held during the month. 59 males and 132 females were screened. 62 people were advised follow up. Smt. Lila Kishanchand Shahani Clinical Diagnostic Centre From a monthly average of around 200 patients, the Smt. Lila Kishanchand Shahani Clinical Diagnostic Centre screened almost double, 392 persons during January. 1682 tests were performed, out of which 1452 were pathology tests. 13 sonography, 197 x-ray and 20 mammography investigations were carried out.
34 new policies were registered in January, bringing the total to 6666. 59 people were examined, of whom 18 had come for the first check-up and 41 for renewal check up. Rs. 5.3 lakhs was disbursed towards 7 claims made. Two more of our policy holders were detected with cancer and one of our policyholders expired. At Smt. Panadevi Dalmia Cancer Management Centre13 new patients were registered during the month of January, 7 under the Adoption category and 6 under the Special Adoption category. 288 patients were aided, counseled and given guidance. 60 patients availed of ambulance facilities, including 6 patients who availed of the service for long distance. 200 sets of clothes, 60 packets of biscuits and 75 boxes of Complan were distributed. 14 home and institutional visits were made. Donations amounting to Rs. 1,37,950 were collected and Rs. 2.40 lakhs were disbursed. Ten of our patients expired during the month.
235 patients were aided, guided and counseled by CPAA's Halima Aurangabadkar at Tata Memorial Hospital during January. 250 packets of biscuits were distributed. 54 patients were given clothes, 8 kgs of sweets were distributed. 20 referred cases were helped. 32 ward visits were made. 6 patients were given medicines and toys were distributed. 132 patients were given Complan and 10 patients were given financial aid. 10 year old Akhil Banare, who is suffering from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia has been adopted by the Natwarlal Becharlal Jasant and Vanita Natwarlal Jasani Charitable Trust. On behalf of the trust our Social Worker, Ms. Zakia Topiwala met Akhil at Tata Memorial Hospital and gave him a T-shirt, story books, biscuits, cakes and other goodies. Akhil is the only child of his parents. A special thanks to Ms. Jasani for adopting Akhil and helping to support his treatment. "Can I Help You?" CPAA’s Desk at Tata Memorial Hospital’s Private OPD This month, Jennifer Quadros helped 127 patients, providing information on various kinds of cancers, helping in filling up forms and answering questions about the hospital. CPAA has also provided newspapers for the benefit of patients waiting in the registration area. 154 patients made use of the facility. 9 ward visits were made and 121 patients were given literature. Mr. Nathu L. Patil, a patient of intestinal cancer, received generous assistance from Asian Paints Charitable Trust thanks to Jenny's intervention. He has completed his chemotherapy treatments and returned home. At Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children 6 new patients were registered during the month. 860 patients attended follow up of whom 180 patients are undergoing chemotherapy. 30 patients were counseled and given guidance and 10 patients were visited in their wards. 3 group meetings regarding cleanliness and diet were organised. Mrs. Sonia Mehta, who is sponsoring the treatment of a number of children, visited Wadia Hospital on 30th January. She distributed biscuits, cakes, chocolates and soaps to 25 children and showed a keen interest in them. She later also visited patients at Tata Memorial Hospital and distributed cakes and biscuits. CPAA thanks generous spirits like Ms. Mehta and Ms. Jasani who, besides helping patients financially, take time to meet them and share their sorrows. Palliative Care Unit at Tata Memorial Hospital 26 patients, 13 males and 13 females were counseled during the month of January. There were 11 cases of Head and Neck cancers, 2 cases of cancer of the abdomen, 5 cases of cervical cancer and 7 other cases. Mrinal Marathe met a 22 year old patient with Round Cell Tumour at the Palliative Care Unit one day. This is a patient who is suffering not only from physical pain, but mental agony. 7 months pregnant, she has an older child of 3 years. As recently as six months ago, this was a happy family living in Dharavi. One morning her husband went out for work and did not return. All her efforts to find him have been in vain. She has been advised medical termination of the pregnancy, but in the absence of her husband is unable to take the step. In the meantime, she is under medication with morphine to control the pain. Yet this brave woman clings to medical reports that say her unborn baby is doing well and seeks reassurance that it will survive even if she does not. CPAA's Rehabilitation Centre provided 237 patients rations worth Rs. 27,771. Rs. 1,26,321 was spent on patients' wages and Rs. 19,223 was spent on welfare activities, conveyance and diet supplements. |
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Living
with the spirit of service in your career with support from your corporation,
you will not only serve but serve best, simultaneously experiencing immense
personal growth, development and inner satisfaction which will give a
high better than that of any other form of success. The returns to the
volunteer are a sense of achievement, job satisfaction, personal growth
and development, value added living, recognition and the knowledge of
their true worth. It is a feeling that will make you soar.