Low-cost treatment brings hope for kids with cancer

Therapy workshops organised by the Tata Memorial Hospital's (TMH) paediatric department offers low-cost treatment to 200-odd children fighting cancer.

Saying that medicines helped cure 40% of AML (acute myeloid leukemia) cases, Dr Sripad Bhanavali, HOD of Medical and Paediatric Oncology at TMH added that bone marrow transplant, considered to be the best treatment option but expensive at Rs 10 lakh, is not an option for people from lower socio-economic sections. 'Many are not aware cancer in children is biologically different from that in adults. However, children have no baggage in their minds and handle the disease better. But if a child is only bombarded with chemotherapy and medication without any attention on their minds, he just might lose the will to fight,' he said.

HOPE 2012, the department's annual event was showcased at the hospital on Christmas day. It was the biggest cheer for cancer-afflicted children. 'HOPE is our humble effort not only to help these children re-charge themselves, but also to give them a lifetime of beautiful memories which they can cherish,' Dr Banavali said at the event.

Annually, 2,000-odd paediatric patients are treated at Tata Memorial Hospital. Nearly 70% of them get access to free treatment. For the last five years, over 100 kids with AML have been a part of a low-dose maintenance therapy study at the paediatric oncology department. The survival rate has increased to 67%. Shortly, the department will publish the study. 'Low-dose maintenance therapy is called metronomic therapy. The metronomic dose for the entire year would work out to Rs 4,000 because the drugs are old and well-known ones,' said Dr Banavali.

As many as 90 per cent of the paediatric cancer patients at the outpatient department of TMH are from outside Mumbai which forces them to drop out of school or put a break in their studies. TMH has started weekend classes, 'Edutaintment' to reach out to such patients. They don't have to entirely compromise their studies. 'Cancer treatment can go on from a few months to even years. These children should not lag in life post their treatment. There have been many success stories of cancer survivors who have battled the disease and gone on to become accountants, teachers, dancers, photographers and doctors. It is important these children get the right support at the right time so they can defeat the disease,' concluded Dr Banavali.