What I saw inside this cancer hospital shook me

I was only twenty seven when I was first sent to a cancer hospital. It was my doctor who scared me with the doubt of cancer which forced me to step in to the Cancer hospital in the maximum city. For my first visit to the hospital, my parents joined me and my own wild emotions -anxiety, fear and depression. At the same time I carried myself with confidence and was determined to prove my doctor wrong which eventually I did after the screening.
The hospital was overcrowded with the cancer patients. I tried to peep into the waiting area of few oncology departments. My heart broke down when I saw the plight of a father carrying his toddler who was wearing a mask outside the chemotherapy room. The adjacent two year old cancer patient had a slit in the throat for the inlet of pipe up to his stomach, it seemed he was already operated. Moving further I saw a couple waiting outside the genetic counseling department. After few interactions with them I understood that the female carried an abnormal gene that was passed to her from generations. The couple was there to understand the process of determining the risk they have of passing on an inheritable cancer to their baby. Further I met an old man who had come from far state and was advised for the operation to remove his tumor as soon as possible, but the plight of his son was more worrisome. I saw him wandering for help; when I spoke to him I understood that since the concerned surgeon in the hospital was busy with his already scheduled surgeries for next 2 months, the hospital staff had suggested him to get his father operated in the other city hospitals. I managed to share some information on nearby hospitals also guiding them on the city routes.
Overcrowding is one of the major problems plaguing public hospitals in India. Due to unavailability of hospital beds, machines and operation theatres, patients are either turned away or given long dates. Thus, it may take months for a patient to even start the treatment; I wonder about the poor who cannot afford the treatment in any private hospital must be simply waiting to die.
The ubiquitous problem seen for the outstation cancer patients was unaffordable and uncertain time stay in the city. The cancer treatment time taken is indeterminate and the expenses are high considering consultations, tests, scans, biopsies and further treatment. Although the hospital had the accommodation facility for the patient's relatives, still finding shelter there was a major problem. Due to limited occupancy in the hospital and unaffordable stay in the city, many ended up living in makeshift tents outside the hospital. I also noticed the pamphlets glued on the trees and compound walls outside the hospital premises; the pamphlets read the contact information of dabbawalas who provide home cooked food and the accommodation facility.
Life is not at peace for cancer survivors as well. After speaking to a few of them who were there for follow up, I understand that fear of recurrence is major concern for them. Living life with uncertainty is not that easy. Lingering feeling of sadness, anxiety, depression are common side effects of cancer treatment; for very few people these feelings dissipate. People with cancer need love and profound emotional support from the community. The experience at the cancer hospital was like a "wake-up call" to me. I have realized the importance of enjoying small things in life and embrace the things that bring you joy when you can.
The paucity of cancer care centers and the alarming rise of cancer patients in India still remains the concern. Even though the government and other non-profit organizations are working towards the increase in demand for oncology services, the call for action is to stay healthy, eat balanced diet and do not indulge in any bad habits which can lead to this dreadful disease.
By Prajakta Chaudhari