''Snehaanchal'' helps cancer patients meet a peaceful end

Nagpur, Feb 22 (PTI) A palliative care centre here fordying cancer patients, founded by a Parsi samaritan ensurespeaceful end to these terminal sufferers, who are admittedthere ahead of their final journey.

''Snehaanchal'' is a shelter for the terminally ill cancerpatients run in co-operation with the Rashtra Sant TukdojiMaharaj Cancer Hospital, a regional centre of the stateGovernment. A cancer patient who is admitted here hasnot more than six weeks to three months to breathe his last.

Jimmy Rana, a partner in Ice-Cream factory and Milkproducts here came across some cancer patients who weresuffering from pain and mental trauma, waiting for death. Adesire to do some social work in the field of medicine andhealth care, Rana first visited ''Karunaashraya'' in Bangalorein 2003 and started thinking on the lines of setting up asimilar centre here.

He later visited an identical shelter in Hinjewadi nearPune run by the Cipla Foundation. Afer studying these twoprojects and collecting inputs, Rana waited for a rightopportunity and time.

When Rana met Dr Shantanu Choudhary, Director of RSTCancer Hospital here, his desire began to take shape. Thehospital had a place in Indira Nagar in southern part of citywhich was virtually abandoned. The Board of the Hospital aftersix months of consideration agreed to hand it over on a leaseof ten years to Rana in November 2005. .