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Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals announces the launch of ‘Collaborative Counselling’ for Head & Neck cancer patients
- The initiative is announced to mark the World Head and Neck Cancer Day
- The counseling cell aims to treat cancer through Body & Mind
- A panel of specialist doctors, from oncologists and psychologists to nutritionists, will counsel cancer patients about comprehensive treatment
Kolkata 27th July 2017:
The International Federation of Head and Neck Oncology Societies is working hard to showcase the importance of knowing all about head and neck cancers. 55 number of Head and Neck Cancer Societies in 51 countries are promoting the day and working hard to increase awareness, risk factors, cessation, prevention, public education, screening, early diagnosis, physician education, outcomes and survivor-ship.
Apollo Gleneagles Hospital also today launched a counselling cell called “Curing cancer from body and mind” for cancer patients on the occasion of World Head and Neck Cancer Day. On this occasion, the survivors recounted support received from the hospital doctors and praised their treatment methods which helped them combat the disease.
This occasion gave the patients an opportunity to interact with the cancer experts. It also allowed them to get firsthand information from the survivors about their journey. Many patients felt motivated through their interaction with the survivors. They look forward to being cured.
The goal of the counselling cell is to motivate the patients and make them emotionally stronger so that they could battle the disease. The cell is made up of doctors and counsellors who will help the patients achieve a balance between life and treatment. We also plan to launch a Survivors Club with an aim to help, encourage and inspire people touched by cancer. This will also provide a support for the patients by creating a distraction from the fears of daily treatment by encouraging them to take this phase of life positively and look forward to becoming a survivor by getting cured from the disease with the right frame of mind.
Among those present on the occasion were Mr Sambaran Banerjee, ace cricketer and now coach and analyst, Dr Aniruddha Dam, Head of Department,Head and Neck Onco Surgery, Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital, Dr Sujoy Kar, Director Medical Services, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Dr Sukrit Bose, Consultant, Head and Neck Onco Surgery, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Dr JR Ram, Senior Consultant, Psychiatry, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals and Dr Tanweer Shahid, Senior Consultant, Radiation Oncology, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals.
Mr Sambaran Banerjee expressed, “With advancement in cancer prevention and innovative treatments patients detected with the disease are living longer. Survivorship care is an important component after the treatment. I am glad that Apollo Gleneagles is setting up this counseling cell, which I am sure would be helpful for many.”
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Bose felt that a lack of awareness is often the reason why many cancer patients come for treatment at a much later stage. “Cancer, if detected at an early stage, is fully curable. We at Apollo Gleneagles provide full support to ensure that the patients not only get medical treatment but stay mentally strong.”
Dr Bose said that apart from counselling the patients, Apollo often counsels their family members. “It is very important to stand by them as they need a lot of mental support. Initiatives like this will help us provide an opportunity for survivors to talk and listen, draw support and receive advice from others who share similar experience.”
Dr Dam said counselling is an important part of treatment. “While we need to treat the cancer patients medically, we also need to keep them and sometimes their families mentally strong so they can cope with the disease.”
Needless to say, cancer often brings on mental trauma and this is just one of the several challenges that the cancer patients and the doctors treating them face. The cell also aims to brief the patients and their families about things like malignancy to enable them to face the challenges with confidence.
ABOUT APOLLO HOSPITALS
It was in 1983, that Dr Prathap Reddy made a pioneering endeavour by launching India’s first corporate hospital – Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. Over the years Apollo Hospitals has established itself as home to the largest cardiac practice in India with over 160,000 cardiac surgeries. Apollo Hospitals is also the world’s largest private cancer care provider and runs the world’s leading solid organ transplant program.
As Asia’s largest and most trusted healthcare group, its presence includes more than 10000 beds across 70 Hospitals, 2,500 Pharmacies, over 100 Primary Care and Diagnostic Clinics, 110 plus Telemedicine Centres and 80 plus Apollo Munich Insurance branches panning the length and breadth of the Country.
As an integrated healthcare service provider with Health Insurance services, Global Projects Consultancy capability, over 15 medical education centres and a Research Foundation with a focus on global Clinical Trials, epidemiological studies, stem cell & genetic research Apollo Hospitals has been at the forefront of new medical breakthroughs with the most recent investment being that of commissioning the first Proton Therapy Center across Asia, Africa and Australia in Chennai, India. Every four days, the Apollo Hospitals Group touches a million lives, in its mission to bring healthcare of International standards within the reach of every individual.
In a rare honour, the Government of India issued a commemorative stamp in recognition of Apollo’s contribution, the first for a healthcare organization. Apollo Hospitals Chairman, Dr Prathap C Reddy, was conferred with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan in 2010. For more than 30 years, the Apollo Hospitals Group has continuously excelled and maintained leadership in medical innovation, world-class clinical services and cutting-edge technology. Our hospitals are consistently ranked amongst the best hospitals globally for advanced medical services and research.
