TV
What started as a humble beginning about nine years ago has now become an unswerving source of strength for the family members of children diagnosed with cancer.
Treatment for children suffering from cancer is available free of cost at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar; SCB Medical College and Hospital, Acharya Harihar Cancer Hospital and Bagchi Cancer Hospital. But what worries most parents is the cost of food and accommodation incurred during the treatment period.
Realising the pains and sufferings of these parents, 11 like-minded IT engineers in Bhubaneswar decided to do something for them in 2015. They started serving them every weekend. Thus ‘Umeedein’ was born and it has been helmed by Nitai Goura Panigarhi. 'Umeedein' is running two centres in the name of Seva Home-one in Bhubaneswar near AIIMS and the second one is in Cuttack. It has been bearing the food and accommodation expenses of the children undergoing cancer treatment and their attendants since 2020.
The immense pleasure they derived from serving such patients made them more focused on their humanitarian act.
So far, they have provided services to 189 children and their parents.
“In the case of childhood cancer, it is helpful for patients and their attendants to stay near their hospitals. We noticed that some parents were forced to go to their villages unable to bear the cost of accommodation and food. We took accommodations near hospitals and started it by contributing whatever we could. We even brought chairs, gas stoves and water filters from our houses,” said Panigarhi.
The parents said their words would fall short of expressing their gratitude towards Umeedein.
“We were in severe distress thinking how we would treat our child. Then Seva Home came as a Godsend. It is providing us accommodation and food,’ said Saikrishna Mana, mother of a cancer patient.
Echoing the same, another parent Siba Prasad Dalei said, “I can’t think what would become of us if Seva Home had not come forward to help us. It would have been impossible for me to treat my child.”
