Ganga Prem Hospice

1. Ganga Prem Hospice

2. Ganga Prem Hospice is a spiritually orientated, non-profit hospice for terminally ill cancer patients.

3. Ganga Prem Hospice… eases the pain soothes the mind and uplifts the spirit.

4. The developing world is carrying two thirds of the world’s cancer burden while it has only 5% of the world’s cancer facilities. The most neglected field of cancer concern in Northern India is the hospice concept where palliative care takes over when attempts at cure have failed. A hospice aims at helping to control the pain and other symptoms in advanced cancer patients in order that they can achieve the best possible quality of life and a dignified death with the minimum of distress. A hospice gives support to patients and relatives with information and basic care.

5. The Shraddha Cancer Care Trust is dedicated to developing more comprehensive facilities for cancer patients in Northern India. Our current project, the Ganga Prem Hospice, is unique in that it is being created to add other dimensions to the concept of hospice, i.e. the dimensions of spiritual care and holistic treatment. The Hospice will be constructed in the foothills of the Himalaya, at Timili, 19 kilometres above the town of Rishikesh. The region of Rishikesh is famous not only for its spiritual culture but also for its many well-developed holistic centres. In this beautiful and serene setting, the Hospice staff will endeavour to create a gentle, safe and supportive environment in which patients and relatives can be helped to come to terms with unresolved issues of their life and the difficulties involved in the impending death. If they wish, they can talk with competent spiritual advisors and attend spiritual programmes such as discourses, communal worship and meditation etc.

6. The Hospice care will encompass the physical, mental, emotional and social fields of the patient’s life. The Hospice will aim at giving the patient general respect, consistent and effective care, relief from pain and other distressing symptoms, an appropriate and satisfying diet, comfort, consolation and spiritual support. The Hospice will offer terminally ill cancer patients first-class medical facilities and oncological expertise with the option of choosing allopathic or non‑allopathic medicine such as Homeopathy and Ayurveda etc. An extensive support programme will also reach out to relatives and friends at the time of their impending loss and in their bereavement.

7. To achieve these ends, the Hospice Care Team led by Dr. A. K. Dewan, Senior Consultant at the Rajeev Gandhi Cancer Institute in Delhi, will consist of patients, family, friends, medical professionals, spiritual advisors, counsellors, nurses, social workers and volunteer staff. We want to include the patient in the decision making process so that decisions are appropriate and congenial to his feelings and needs. The staff will include cancer specialists, professionals from holistic care systems, physiotherapists, dieticians and specialists in complementary medicine techniques such as yoga and aromatherapy massage etc.

8. We propose to make a Hospice equipped with 50 beds. The Hospice will also have a library cum reading room, a meditation and prayer room as well as a T.V. and recreation room. The Hospice will have mortuary facilities.

9. Patients will be eligible for admission to the Hospice only when they have a certificate from the attending oncologist that they have progressive or incurable cancer and a life expectancy of six months or less.

10. Our goal of providing holistic care and improving the quality of life in the last days of a cancer patient’s journey is possible and achievable with your generous contribution.

14. Our vision is to help alleviate the physical and psychological discomfort associated with the progressive, incurable disease of cancer.

15. Ganga Prem Hospice pledges to provide services to terminally ill cancer patients regardless of age, race, religion or financial status

16. Ganga Prem Hospice