DEAN Foundation provides Palliative Care services to the urban poor of Chennai, Coimbatore and Kancheepuram districts. Patients are referred to DEAN Foundation by doctors. They also approach through word of mouth referrals, website and through social media.

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Mrs. Deepa Muthaiya, Managing Trustee, holds an MPhil Degree in Communication and Journalism. Apart from managing the whole project, she assists in designing new and effective communication strategies to highlight Palliative Care as a basic human right and the need for including it in the Rural Health Care system.

Over 80% of the patients are from the lower income group. With no financial means, terminal illnesses like cancer leaves them traumatised both physically and mentally. Cancer patients form about 78% of the total patients treated.

 

The organisation primarily works in the area of pain relief. Once diagnosed with terminal illness, treatments are gradually stopped and patients are only left with pain management during the rest of their lives. This involves both medicines that are ingested as well as periodic change in dressing of the tumour. The family members of the patients are also trained to nurse the patients and administer the medicines as required.

 

Visit DEAN Foundation at https://deanfoundation.org/

 

Ankitara Founation had donated to the organisation