FREE TREATMENT OF CHILDREN WITH CURABLE CANCER

BHAGWAN MAHAVEER CANCER HOSPITAL, JAIPUR

DR S.G. Kabra

DIRECTOR, CLINICAL SERVICES

DONATE A LIFE (DALF) PROJECT

NOVEL PROJECT TO PROVIDE CURATIVE ANTICANCER TREATMENT

CHILDREN WITH DEADLY BLOOD CANCERS CURED

DEADLY BLOOD CANCERS IN CHILDREN TODAY ARE CURABLE CANCERS

85 CHILDREN WITH CURED BLOOD CANCER ARE LEADING NORMAL LIFE 

Jaipur, 15th July, 2019: With the development of anticancer therapies, today, a number of cancers especially in children, are considered curable cancers. They are considered as curable as the success rate of effective treatment is more than 85%. On completion of treatment which is multi-stage and prolonged, lasting 1 to 2 years, the child is free of cancer and expected to remain so for his life. The cured children lead a normal life.

The three cancers amenable to curative treatment are 1 Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) 2 Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APML) 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (HD) in childhood. The treatment is expensive and on average costs Rs. 5 lacs. Parents of a few children could afford the treatment, most of them would withdraw from treatment for financial constraints. A child dying of curable cancer because his/her parents could not afford the treatment, for lack of financial support, was considered a same for a civil society.

The Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital initiated a Donate a Life Project (DALF) whereby donating Rs. 5 lacs for treatment of a child with cancer one could save a life. The project was launched on August, 2014. A total of 142 children suffering from the identified blood cancers were registered in DALF Project for receiving free anticancer treatment. Of these 103 children were suffering from ALL, 34 from HD and 5 from APML. 93 children who received full treatment 85 are today (June, 2019) cancer free. The treatment failed and 8 of these patients could not be saved.

Totally free treatment under DALF Project is available to children identified to be suffering from the three blood cancers irrespective of their caste, creed or economic condition.

Case Studies

1. Date of Entry in DALF Project – 24^th September, 2014

Sachin a three year old kid, had complaints of fever ad anemia. His father Girish Kumar, a fruit seller by profession, took  him to the local doctor. When the treatment did not help he brought the child to Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital & Research Centre. Cancer was suspected. A bone marrow test lead to the diagnosis of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. The diagnosis was a shock to the parents. Meager earnings of kid’s father cast a gloom on the parents as they could not afford the costly treatment of the cancer.

It was a great relief to the plight of Sachin and his parents when the treating doctor told them about “Donate A Life Project” under which free treatment for the diagnosed cancer was available. The child was registered under the project and received multi stage chemotherapy treatment.

Today (June, 2019) the child is cancer free, healthy and leading a normal life.

2. Date of Entry in DALF Project – 10^th September, 2014

Ramavtar, a 10 year old kid was seen at Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital & Research Centre on September, 24. He had a lump on the right side of the neck which was progressively enlarging in size. Father, a farm labour, informed the doctors at BMCHRC that in 2010 the lump was investigated at a private hospital in Jaipur where after marker studies Ramavtar was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The child was given the first cycle of chemotherapy. He could not continue the chemotherapy because of severe monetary constraints. The lump continued to grow and spread to the chest. Three years later, his father brought him to Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital. Diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma stage 2bx was confirmed. To his great relief he was told about the “Donate A Life Project” under which the child would be treated free. The Khetihar father had no words to express his gratitude. He was overwhelmed. The child was registered under the Donate A Life Project in September, 2014. He was given 6 cycles of chemotherapy for six months and 18 cycles of Radiotherapy.The child underwent. The treatment with fighting spite withstanding all the miserable side effects.

In May, 2017 he was pronounced to be cancer free. Today (June, 2019) he is leading a healthy life spreading smile allover.

3. Date of Entry in DALF Project – 21^st August, 2014

Shaurya, a high-spirited 4 year old kid who used to play all the time, suddenly developed decline of his energy levels. He was repeatedly keeping ill with fever and fatigue. This made Shaurya’s father to take him to a doctor in Jhunjhunu. Few investigations and he was diagnosed with blood cancer leaing his parents shattered. Shaurya was than referred to Dr. Upendra Sharma, Hemato-Oncologist, Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital & Research Centre.

Shaurya’s father who runs a small grocery shop in Udaipurwati, a small town of Jhunjhunu, was already struggling with fund crisis and this misfortune left no hope. Discouraged parents somehow brought the kid to BMCHRC on the 14^th April, 2014. Here doctors confirmed that Shaurya as suffering from Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APML), a type of blood cancer having a cure rate of more than 90%. Considering the wretched situation of the parents, BMCHRC doctors informed them about “Donate A Life Project”. On knowing that their kid will be treated for free, Shaurya’s parents could not thank enough. The very same day Shaurya’s name was registered under “Donate A Life” project and his treatment started in full swing. For two years he was hospitalized in BMCHRC for about 14 times and underwent a rigorous treatment that included chemotherapy, oral medicine, injections and multiple investigations. All these hardships resulted in a day i.e. 30^th September, 2016 when Shaurya was declared completely free of cancer. Today (June, 2019), Shaurya is leading a normal life like any other kid of his age. This is the outcome of an initiative called “Donate A Life” which is meant to save kids and not let them fall prey in the hands of distress and hardship.