Bereavement
After spending significant time volunteering at Karunashraya, I thought I was familiar with all our processes—until one afternoon, I overheard a counselor mentioning “bereavement” to a colleague. When I asked for clarification, she gently explained, “Bereavement is the period of mourning and coping with the loss of a loved one”. I exhaled a long breath,…
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The Palliative Canvas Giving Voice Through Art
As an adolescent, Malini had “selective mutism”, where she consistently failed to speak in specific social situations. It wasn’t a choice; it was anxiety, which interfered with her social communication. Consequently, she experienced pent-up emotions while her parents, in turn, struggled with understanding her emotional state. As a shy child, she relied on constant internal…
Read MoreCaregiver
I went all in. My mothers hip replacement was my solo mission. For weeks I lived on the mantra “she needs me and i have to focus only on her”. Until I hit the wall; it was a burnout; I was fatigued, mentally drained and gained few kilos because of stress eating. It was a…
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Living Will 2025
We ‘ve all heard the term “WILL” countless times, vivid images of documents that dictate how assets are distributed after someone passes away. But have you ever heard of a Living Will? If your answer is no, you’re not alone. It’s a surprisingly common response, even though it’s a document with profound implications for our…
Read MorePalliative Physiotherapy
End-stage cancer is a challenging journey, both physically and emotionally, for patients and their families. Palliative care, with its focus on improving the quality of life and managing symptoms, plays a crucial role in supporting these individuals. Within palliative care, physiotherapy emerges as a gentle yet powerful tool that aims to enhance mobility, alleviate pain,…
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United in Care, Unique in Compassion
Ambika, a 40-year-old lady (name changed), came to Karunashraya as an end-stage bone cancer patient with amputated legs, where the tumour had also spread to her lungs. Upon admission, she was in immense pain and discomfort. She refused to talk to anyone, did not cooperate with the palliative care team, shouted at nurses, threw her…
Read MoreAwareness Today, A Cure Tomorrow
“Ma’am, is there anyone with you?” the radiologist asked. This marked the beginning of my stage IV metastatic breast cancer journey. I stood outside the ultrasound department, shocked, frozen, and clueless. How could I have not seen or felt this underlying demon? As a cancer patient, one of the key messages on World Cancer Day…
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Bridging the Divide: A Call to Close the Care Gap
Ramu (name changed), a 42-year-old farmer from rural part of North Karnataka, was diagnosed with cancer of the tongue. The nearest specialized cancer treatment centre was 600 kilometres away and took 11 hours to reach. Ramu is unable to speak and is in extreme pain. He and his wife have travelled to Bengaluru, hoping for…
Read MoreCervical Cancer Awareness
“ Learn. Prevent. Screen.” Did you know that we here in India have the highest number of cervical cancer cases in the world? Age is just a number, as they say. Cancer can affect people of any age group. Cervical cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in the world and the most common type…
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Empowering Tomorrow
” We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future “ As I was growing up, my parents were constantly searching for ways to effectively channelize my boundless energy and passion, ensuring that I could make a meaningful impact on society. During this process, I learned…
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