Ruma Abedona Hospice in West Bengal is a non-profit Charitable Trust, with the prime objective of providing palliative care in India for those suffering from terminal illness. Support is provided with competence, compassion and the goal of minimizing unnecessary suffering, indignity and fear.

Ruma Abedona Hospice stands for the Quality of Life when extending the length of life is not in our hand.

RAH aims to extend palliative care to the general community that have no access to terminal care needed by patients and their families who are unable to be cared for by the existing medical system.

The concept of palliative care is very new to India and perhaps unheard by many in our country. RAH would like to step in here and bridge the gap and try to extend in its own small way the hand of comfort and care to these patients and their family members by reaching to their homes. RAH established contact with such persons through the following ways: -

'Palliative Care' is 'access to care for all', 'care beyond cure', care not only for terminally ill patients but also for the family and close friends. The aims of RAH are to provide support with competence and compassion not only to minimize physical suffering but also attends to their psychological, social, emotional, cultural, and spiritual needs. It addresses fear, anger, and indignity and provides specialized health care by competent carers, doctors, and counselors. Carers help to alleviate their physical pain and provide moral and mental support to the patients through the toughest phase of their life and illness and make it possible for them to die with respect, dignity and peace.

RUMA ABEDONA HOSPICE, INDIA

Santanu Chakraborty along with a few of his friends founded Ruma Abedona Hospice in the year 2002. It was a small beginning after the demise of Santanu's wife Ruma in October 2000.
Although Ruma died after 22 months of care from Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, she died peacefully and without pain. Through his sorrow, Santanu came to realize that by the loss of his beloved wife, God had a greater plan mapped out for him and he began to see the vision of Palliative Care.

In October 2001, Santanu was invited by Mr. & Mrs. Bill & Joan Grosser, to visit Australia to take a palliative care course at the McAuley Training Centre in Perth, Western Australia, presently he is persuing post-graduation in palliative care through Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. Dr Rosalie Shaw; a pioneer for Palliative care facilities in Western Australia and also the Executive Director of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network, heard about

Santanu while she was on holiday in Perth. She met him at this time and gave him a letter of commendation after talking to him at length. Santanu returned back to India and founded Ruma Abedona Hospice on July 29th 2002. Since then Dr. Rosalie Shaw has continued to give her on-going support to Ruma Abedona Hospice. At present along with Dr. Sanjay Sud, Dr. Arup Bandyopadhyay and scores of volunteers; RAH is furthering the cause of palliative care to those who are in need.
On the 9th of February 2005, the official inauguration of Ruma Abedona Hospice was celebrated. Ruma Abedona Hospice extends care, medication, instruction and physical, spiritual & emotional support for terminally ill patients.

Since its inception in 2002 RAH volunteers, doctors, attended different patients and went through with their medical reports, those who are at their last stages of life. The team of volunteers visited regularly to each of the patient's houses to provide proper medical and nursing care, along with mental care, social care and if necessary spiritual care.
Ruma Abedona Hospice (RAH) Charitable Trust conducts free health check-up camp mainly for terminally ill patients as well as general patients from economically poor background in every alternative month in Ranigange, Burdwan, Bankura, Arambag and in different parts of Hooghly district.

Seminar: "Caring at the End of Life - Body, Mind and Spirit", in relation with Palliative Care

RAH also organized a Seminar entitled "Caring at the End of Life - Body, Mind and Spirit", in relation of Palliative Care. The main resource person to lead this seminar held on the 8th February 2005 were Dr. Rosalie Shaw (Executive Director - Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network, National Cancer Care Centre, Singapore); Mr. Bill Grosser & Mrs. Joan Grosser (National Directors - GFA, Australia); Ms. Amy Saul (palliative carer Perth Australia), Dr. Prabir Sur (Professor Director & Head of the Department of Oncology I.P.G.M.E. & R, Kolkata); Dr. Bholanath Banerjee (Ex - Professor & Head of the Department of Radiotherapy R. G. Kar Medical College & Hospital Kolkata); Dr. Basab Raj Ghosh (Consultant Oncologist, Thakurpukur Cancer Research Centre) and Dr. Kalyan Mukherjee (Medical Oncologist, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute). This seminar was well attended and had a wide coverage in the News media and as well as Indian television channels.

Blood Donation Camp

Along with this seminar RAH organized a blood donation camp on 9th February 2005, the Chief Guest was Mr. Subhash Chakraborty (The Honorable Minister - Sports, Transport & Youth Service, Kolkata) and Mr. Dilip Sarkar (Chairman, Rishra Municipality) adorned the Chair of the Guest Of Honour for the blood donation camp session.
Blood donation camps have now become a yearly event of RAH, the main objective is to provide blood for the terminally ill patients without charge.

Palliative Care Volunteer Training

RAH also organized a Workshop and Training camp for non-medical volunteers. Rosslyn Nagel (Certified Community Nurse, Geraldton Hospital) and Penny Van Ast (Author Palliative Care publications, Geraldton, Australia) from Perth, Australia conducted the Workshop and Training camp. Nearly 30 volunteers participated in this training and obtained certificate.
RAH is also conducting awareness camps at various places of India along with local clubs, organizations, societies and NGO's to create an awareness of Palliative care and Hospice movement.

'World Hospice & Palliative Care Day' Celebration 2006

RAH Celebrated the 'World Hospice & Palliative Care Day' on Saturday, the 7th October 2006 at their center. Many distinguished guests including Mr. Pratim Chattopadhaya (The Honorable Minister - Fire and Emergency services, Kolkata), renowned musician Bickram Ghosh and actress Jaya Seal Ghosh along with other local dignitaries were invited at this celebration. The main speaker was Prof. Dr. Prabir Sur {Director, 'Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research' (PG Hospital & Medical College) & Head of the Dept. of Oncology}.
World Hospice and Palliative care day celebration organized by RAH also had a wider coverage in the Newspaper and Television channels.

Rotary Club donated a Toyota Innova 7 seater vehicle to Ruma Abedona Hospice

The Rotary Club of Geraldton North, Australia, The Rotary Foundation United States of America and the Rotary Club of Calcutta donated a Toyota Innova 7 seater vehicle to Ruma Abedona Hospice for providing emergency relief service to terminally ill patients. At a special programme held on 1st January, 2007 at the Rotary Sadan, Past Rotary International President, Rtn. Raja Saboo, who is the only living Past RI President from India, handed over the vehicle to Mr. Santanu Chakraborty, Director, Ruma Abedona Hospice. A large number of Rotarians, including some visiting Rotarians from abroad and many specially invited dignitaries participated in the programme.

Over the years RAH had a wider coverage in the national as well as overseas media. The founder director Mr. Santanu Chakraborty has been interviewed by
Television Media -
Dooradarshan - 7th February, 8th February & 9th February 2005, 7th October 2006
Akash Bangla - 9th February 2005
ETV - 9th February 2005
CTVN - 9th February 2005
Kolkata TV - 7th October 2006

ABC Radio, Australia Interview - 9th February 2007
Sonshine FM, Perth, Australia - 5th February 2007
WIN Television, Australia - 12th February 2007

Special Feature -
'Sadharan Asadharan' at Akash Bangla telecasted on 12th February 2006

Print media -
Anandabazar Patrika - 10th February 2005, 8th October 2006 and 18th August 2007
Indian Express - 8th October 2006
Hindustan Times - 7th October 2006
Times of India - 8th October 2006
The Asian Age - 7th February 2005
Rajasthsan Patrika - 8th October 2006
Dainik Jagaran - 8th October 2006
Prabhat Khabar - 8th October 2006

RAH featured in Websites-
Hospice Innovation Germany website
'A peaceful end in Calcutta' in ASC Mid West & Wheatbelt WA website

RAH Overseas Operation

RAH has formed Hospice network and Palliative care support group at Perth - Western Australia, Geraldton - Western Australia. Busselton Hospice Care, Australia has recognized Ruma Abedona Hospice as their sister concern for overseas operation since 18th April 2007.
RAH also has a close tie up with 'Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network' (APHN), Singapore and 'National Cancer Centre', Singapore. Both these organization works in close partnership in extending Palliative care in Indian subcontinent.

Future Plan

Since its inception RAH has grown, the present facility is not suitable for its operation. Hence plans for extension the present facility is required. RAH has already acquired a piece of land and the extension work of the present centre has started. RAH hopes to open a respite centre for terminally ill patients by 2009.