GUWAHATI, Nov 3 - The Department of Palliative Medicine of Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI) organised a cycle rally to celebrate the World Hospice & Palliative Care Day this morning.
The rally was organised in collaboration with the Greater Guwahati District Cycling Association. Around 30 cyclists from the association participated in the rally. Deepsikha Cancer Care Foundation and Sacred Heart Palliative Care Centre also took part in the rally.
The rally was flagged off by K Basumatary, a cancer patient undergoing treatment at the institute.
World Hospice & Palliative Care Day is celebrated all over the world to increase awareness about palliative care services, to generate funds for charitable works and to motivate people for joining and starting this essential service in every nook and corner of the country.
The theme for this year is �Living and Dying in Pain: It doesn�t have to happen�.
In India, about 8 to 10 lakh people are detected with cancer every year. Because of illiteracy, ignorance, lack of awareness, fear, myths, social stigma, poor communication, etc., approximately 75 per cent of patients report to a cancer hospital or to a tertiary hospital in a very advanced stage and little can be done from the curative point of view. It is the role of palliative care to care for these patients until they die. Palliative care tries to give the patients a meaningful and dignified life.
The palliative medicine department of BBCI has been rendering palliative care service to the people of the North East since 2003.
Dr K Bhagabati, palliative medicine specialist of BBCI elaborated on the significance of the day. Dr D Dakua explained the objectives of celebrating the day. A host of volunteers of palliative care service of the institute were present at the rally.
Tarun Sonowal, social worker, palliative medicine, offered the vote of thanks to the participants of the rally, which was anchored by Bhrigu Kumar Mishra.
The rally started from BBCI and passed through Ulubari via DGP Office to Guwahati Club, to Paltan Bazar via Handique Girls� College, to Rehabari via Nepali Mandir, and ended up at BBCI.