CanSupport

CanSupport was established by a cancer survivor to provide free support to cancer patients of all ages and at all stages of their cancer journey. People with cancer and their families have access to a helpline, supportive medication and equipment, information on mobilizing financial aid, day-care and counselling services. The mission is to enable these people to make informed choices while receiving appropriate physical, emotional, social and spiritual support.

Major Interventions:

Home Care: Professional multidisciplinary teams of doctors, nurses and counsellors trained in palliative care regularly visit to homes of registered patients too sick to travel. They provide free high quality medical care offering medication, consultation, nursing, guidance & equipment as well as psychosocial and spiritual care and a support system to sustain the individual’s family as well as bereavement support and counselling. The Community Networking Officers reach out to underserved areas, slums and villages by raising awareness of cancer through health camps.  

Outpatient Clinics: A comprehensive array of services are provided specializing in cancer care, guiding patients and caregivers from diagnosis to end-of-life. Services include tailored information, educational support, and consultations for specific cancer types. The clinics prepare patients for curative therapies, manage pain and symptoms, addressing side effects, and offer outpatient nursing care. Psychosocial support is extended to patients and families, while financial aid through government schemes eases treatment costs. Additionally, the clinics facilitate referrals to home care and hospice facilities, ensuring a holistic and supportive approach to cancer care.

Mobile Palliative Care Clinic (MPCC): As an extension to the Outpatient Clinics, CanSupport launched this program, to be situated outside those hospitals where a physical premise for setting up an outpatient clinic was not feasible. This is a first of its kind in North India. It includes a palliative care physician, nurse, counsellor, social worker and a hospital networking officer to offer comprehensive care to patients and their caregivers in a one-window set-up.

Day Care: The Day Care program gives children, teenagers and adults with cancer and their caregivers a secure and comforting platform that provides opportunities for self-expression under caring individuals. The easy and caring atmosphere of the Day Care and healing therapies offered by our volunteers lifts their spirits, giving everyone a well-earned respite from the stress and strain of enduring an illness far away from home. At the end of Day Care, a nutritious home cooked meal is also provided to the patients and caregivers. Patients are also offered alternative healing practices such as yoga, meditation, visualization and music therapy.

Telephone Helpline: It provides information and emotional support to callers, provides coordination with care/service providers for cancer-related needs. This is a confidential service and manned by trained counsellors, providing support to around 700 callers per month.

Additionally, CanSupport has other programs to spread awareness by providing vital information about cancer, palliative care and pertinent resources as well as service referrals to the most underserved communities like slums, villages, low income colonies and resettlement areas.