Coimbatore, Nov. 28
"I realised the importance of 'home' only after my cancer treatment. I sobbed like a child when I entered my home for the first time after treatment. I never thought that I would come back home and live with my family again. I was reborn," said Mr. Ravi (name changed), a pancreatic cancer survivor, who was at the Gem Hospital's "Meet the Heroes" meet on Pancreatic Cancer Day to celebrate along with other survivors here today.
Even today, pancreatic cancer is considered to be the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Smoking, alcohol and obesity are considered some of the factors that trigger cancer in the pancreas, a duct that plays a pivotal role in digestion and controlling blood sugar. The disease is termed a 'silent killer' as the symptoms are mostly hidden. Hence, WHO has marked the month of November to create awareness about early diagnosis and cure.
"There were days when even medical practitioners feared pancreatic cancer. With limited diagnostic and treatment methodologies, patients dying was unmanageable. But today, the scenario is completely different. Early diagnosis, combined with advanced medical technology like 'robotic' surgery, is a boon for pancreatic cancer patients . The advent of technology has gifted them all their precious lives back", remarked Dr. P. Senthilnathan, Head of Liver and Pancreatic disease, Gem Hospital, in his welcome address.
"Over 25 years, GEM has treated more than 500 pancreatic cancer patients. And, in 1998 after Dr.C. Palanivel, Chairman of GEM, introduced the technique of laparoscopic surgery, several cancer patients have been saved from the risk of open surgeries", he noted.
"However, the symptoms of pancreatic cancer are not very obvious like other cancers. Many of them find nil symptoms until they are diagnosed with third stage of cancer. Hence awareness among people to undergo routine health check-up is mandatory", he asserted.
"When I was pursuing my MS in Madurai, my friend , a 20-year-old medical student, succumbed to cancer. Not just him, many patients who were diagnosed even at a early stage of cancer did not have the opportunity to live. Lack of facilities, and technology was completely missing. They all could not be saved. Those incidents not just moved me but inspired me to pursue my PG in gastro intestinal surgeries. As doctors, we know the physical pain and the mental trauma the cancer patients undergo; hence, it is important that we doctors celebrate them for staying positive, cooperating with us throughout the treatment. These 'heroes' out here do send a strong message to the public that cancer is not to be feared but have to be fought. From laparoscopy, we have advanced to robotic surgeries which guarantees 100% precision, no scars and quick recovery time," the doctor added.
Dr. K. Vijayakarthikeyan, Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner, commended the hospital for organising a celebration for the pancreatic cancer victims which in itself was a strong 'awareness' message. "As a doctor, I know how tormenting cancer is. Earlier, survival of cancer patients was very rare. But, today the situation is slowly improving. Survival rates are increasing, and the reason for this cannot be attributed to just technology. Truly, such thought-provoking programmes hosted by medical institutes by making the survivors speak to the public would create the much-needed awareness among the masses."
Inspiring the survivors through quotes from Tamil literature, Inspector General of Police, West Zone, Mr. A. Pari, urged people not to ignore symptoms.
Chandrakumar from Gudalur, a cancer survivor, said: "I never had hope. I collapsed when the doctor said that the tumour in my pancreas is a cancer. My wife, daughter and the doctors had a tough time convincing me that I could fight it out. I feared that I would die if I even lie down to sleep. They were the most painful days of my life. But now, after recovering from cancer, I am a new person altogether. I am thankful for everything; nature, food, my family, doctors and every single thing around me."
Ravichandran from Namakkal, said: "Doctors here are my real 'tonic' for survival. Though our relatives and friends console us, a patient's mind doesn't accept it wholesomely. There is a permanent doubt of death and uncertainty. But when doctors motivate us to stay positive and make us believe that we would go back home home hale and healthy, it helps the patient recoup from the illness. And, that's how I recouped."
The need to undergo routine health check-up, take tests like serum tumour marker analysis were stressed to keep pancreatic cancer at bay. And, when the survivors, who were the real heroes, said it, there was no other assertion needed.