Ruma Abedona Hospice for palliative care in West Bengal, India, has been created to be a warm welcoming home-like place that has open doors for anyone suffering from a terminal illness, especially cancer – no distinctions are made.
By the time a victim reaches the hospice in West Bengal, they have usually been given no hope of life by their doctor and have spent all their finances (if they had any) on trying to find a cure. At the hospice they find compassionate, understanding, kind, caring people who seek to support them in the remaining time they have left to live.
The palliative care centre in West Bengal was opened and dedicated on 9th February 2005, and is beautifully appointed and finished – it is an “oasis in the desert”. The centre offers its services free of charge, however clients are asked to assist financially if they possibly can. “Abedona” means “without pain”. The aim of the centre is to assist the client to be as pain and fear free as possible, and give support to their family.