May there be many more like it

The National Cancer Institute, Nagpur is currently a fully-equipped medical facility with 450 beds

One person's suffering could lead to another's relief. Shattered by the deaths of their dear ones to cancer, two friends from Nagpur - one a politician and the other a social worker-educationist - envisaged a project that many thought wouldn't be easy to set up for want of resources. However, the duo pulled it off through sheer willpower, overcoming every difficulty as they took the project ahead.

Today, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) stands tall in Nagpur - full-fledged and fully equipped - catering to the rising number of cancer patients from central India, who otherwise would have to travel to Mumbai's Tata Memorial Hospital. Even while under construction, the greenfield NCI had started serving patients five years ago through its first phase. It is now the first cancer hospital in central India to have over 450 beds. It is the only cancer hospital in central India with a paediatric ward and oncology ICU. Plans are afoot to provide advanced facilities like proton beam and carbon ion therapy treatment at cost-effective rates. NCI will also increase its bed capacity to 750, to make it the largest cancer facility in the country to be run by a charitable trust.

The politician in this story is Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who lost his legislator father, Gangadharrao, to cancer when he was only 17. He experienced the pain of losing a parent at a tender age, and also saw the plight of other patients and difficulties their families faced in availing treatment. Mumbai was the only place for treatment - it still is a favourite destination for cancer patients across the country. The teenager went on to become the mayor of the city and later an MLA, but never stopped thinking about setting up a cancer hospital in Nagpur. His close friend Shailesh Joglekar joined the mission realising what was needed, because his wife had lost her battle with cancer. They started thinking that while they had done everything for their families, cancer care in India was very expensive.

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Fadnavis and Joglekar took the lead in establishing the low-cost charitable cancer hospital through Dr Aabaji Thatte Seva Aur Anusandhan Santha, a trust which is named after Dr Thatte, who had served as a personal assistant and physician to the two successive chiefs of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Joglekar, one of the founders of Bhonsala Military School, a residential school imparting military education in Nagpur and Nashik, had managed the school as the secretary/CEO for 18 years, before becoming the chairman of the military school committee. He administers NCI as the general secretary and chief executive of the governing board. Eminent senior lawyer Sunil Manohar, former Maharashtra advocate general, heads the governing board.

What began as a small hospital five years ago, is a massive set-up now, with scope to expand further, situated as it is at the centre of the country and well-connected by rail, road and air. The needy from anywhere in the country can avail cancer care. NCI has a built-up area of 9.5 lakh square feet. A lodging facility for the relatives of the patients will come up soon. A college will be started soon to cater to the special nursing needs of cancer care. Tata Trusts has not only assisted the project financially, but has been a partner for upgrading it. ONGC is another firm that has boosted NCI with its CSR fund. A lodging facility for the relatives of the patients will come up soon. A college will be started soon to cater to the special nursing needs of cancer care.

Fadnavis and Joglekar always say they had wished to build a facility that didn't look, feel or smell like a hospital. "And because people already fear cancer, our motto is freedom from fear of cancer," they say. A slogan, ‘I am a cancer warrior', in different regional languages in a tasteful waiting lounge adds to one's resolve to fight cancer. An emotional Fadnavis echoed the sentiment when he mentioned the specifics of the institute to RSS chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat, dignitaries, philanthropists and cancer survivors, present during the dedication ceremony for the second phase last week. Bhagwat lauded the team work.

True that the NCI involves individuals who realised at the right time to make their life meaningful by way of extending a helping hand to the two friends, who have worked relentlessly to pursue their dream cancer care project, putting aside their primary engagements, such as politics.

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore
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