Coimbatore: "Doctor-Patient relationship is sacred. Sadly, it's dwindling. Medical professions have to practice humanity over money. Service should be the priority", - Dr. V. Shanta, Chairman of Adyar Cancer Institute
Coimbatore: "Doctor-Patient relationship is sacred. Sadly, it's dwindling. Medical professions have to practice humanity over money. Service should be the priority", - Dr. V. Shanta, Chairman of Adyar Cancer Institute.
Amid hundreds of medical students and para-medical students, the Rotary Club of Coimbatore felicitated Dr. V. Shanta, Chairman of Adyar Cancer Institute with the Vocational Excellence Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the medical field, held at PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, here on Thursday.
The 94-year-old, Eminent Oncologist and Chairman of Adyar Cancer Institute is known for her selfless efforts towards making quality and affordable cancer treatment accessible to all patients. With a vision to make cancer treatment accessible to everyone in this nation, Dr. Shanta even at this age visits the institute and interacts with patients and children undergoing treatment at the Institute.
Dr. S. Ramalingam, Dean, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in his felicitation address said , "We are today honoring not the Doctor in her, but the human in her. Medical students today have to read about her excellence and empathy. We all are very small in front of Dr. Shanta’s professional eminence, determination compassion and humility matched by her beautiful smile. Born in a family of two Nobel laureates, she could have chosen to be anything. She declined all her offers and whole-heartedly joined hands with Dr. Vijayalakshmi and Dr. Krishnamurthy to help the cancer patients", said the Dr. Ramalingam.
Lauding her excellence, Dr. Balavenkat, Past President of Rotary Club of Coimbatore commended Dr. Shanta's selfless service by saying "The award is not decorating her, it's she who is decorating and adding value to the award."
"For all the young doctors and paramedicals present here, how many of you have seen God in real form..?. The God in true form is right in front of us, and that's Dr. Shanta. A doctor, a human who has dedicated her entire life for cancer patients", said Dr. Balavenkat
He added that even today, treating cancer is highly expensive. "But at Adyar Cancer Institute, one can get state-of-the-art medical care without spending a penny. Hundreds and thousands of patients irrespective of nationality, religion, caste, creed are being treated at the Adyar Cancer Institute which operates on the motto "Service to all", he remarked.
Dr Balavenkat concluded by saying "Empathy and science goes hand in hand at Adyar Cancer Institute."
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Shanta expressed her gratitude for the entire team at Adyar Cancer Institute, including doctors, paramedics, nurses, patients and donors.
"Words fail me, whenever awards and felicitations are bestowed upon me, I always feel am not up to it, feel I've more to accomplish", told the 94-year-old Veteran who is the recipient of several prestigious national and international awards including the Magsaysay Award, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award given by the Government of India.
Expressing her views on the healthcare profession, Dr Shanta told "The Doctor-Patient relationship is something am very passionate about, but sadly it's dwindling, today. The art of healing should not be lost due to the science of medication. Medicine is a service to humanity, under privileged and the society at large. Medical professionals have to learn humanity along with medicine. I am not against making money but not at the cost of losing empathy. Those who have chose medicine as their profession should remember the profession is meangingless without service and empathy. Think of their sufferings, they trust you, they believe in you, don't fail them."
Elucidating on her six decade life as an oncologist and a Pillar of Adyar Cancer Institute, she said "Its a soul-stirring story. It was my dream to become a doctor but oncology was my destiny."
She detailed on her entire journey starting from 1955 and how the 12- bedded Adyar Cancer Institute is now a 650 bedded hospital with a premium research institute, she recalled the days how they struggled to build the institute with minimal financial support and other hurdles.
"Back then, the technology was very primitive. It was a huge challenge for us. But as medical technology progressed, we took one step at a time and brought newer technologies with the help of Dr. Krishnamurthy. We published our first paper in 1964. Those days, there was no chemotherapy, there was only radiation and surgery. Since then, slowly technology progressed and helped us treat patients with more success rate", she explained.
She also threw light on how early cancer diagnosis helped to treat patients. Many cervical cancer patients came to us in their final stages. The awareness was very poor. People did not have a clue on cure but there were scared. Access to cancer treatment was a huge hurdle for the patients.
"The dawn of chemotherapy and dawn of oncology as super speciality, changed the face of cancer, forever", Dr Shanta opined.
"Compassion, empathy and sympathy constitutes the palliative care unit. Every oncology institute will have a palliative care unit. It is an interdisciplinary medical caregiving approach aimed at optimizing quality of life and mitigating suffering among people with serious, complex illness", she told.
"The journey has been long, fulfilling but frustrating at the same time. I am happy for what has been achieved, but the work should go on. We have to learn to forgive and forget", concluded Dr Shanta, the living legend and Goddess for many patients and families.
A sum of Rs 2 lakhs was donated to Adyar Cancer Institute by M N Manohar, President of Rotary Club of Coimbatore. Rtn. Sundaravadivelu delivered the vote of thanks.