WHAT WE DO
Ruma Abedona Hospice is a medical care service providing free care and relief to the poor and terminally ill in Kolkata, India. Services are provided by local doctors, nurses, trained personnel and volunteers. Services include pain management, medical and emotional counselling to the individual and loved ones until the time of death and beyond.
ABOUT US
Ruma Abedona Hospice is a non-profit charitable trust built to extend care, medication, instruction, and physical, spiritual & emotional support for the terminally ill. Santanu Chakraborty and a whole team of dedicated volunteers, doctors and nurses serve relentlessly and selflessly as an NGO providing ‘Care Beyond Cure.’
Patients who are suffering from incurable diseases often go through the worst phase of life due to pain, financial loss, fear of death and much more. We at Ruma Abedona Hospice extend our support to those patients and their family members through proper guidance, care, and medication to improve the lives of those patients. Cancer in India, if not diagnosed at an early stage, is usually fatal. A patient moves slowly towards death with much physical, mental and financial suffering. Treatment is beyond the financial reach of most, and a lack of education means even basic care is not possible.
All photography is provided by Santanu Chakraborty.
OUR SERVICES
Providing free medicines to underprivileged terminally ill patients
Free health check-up camps at various under-privileged villages
Home care for terminally ill patients
Awareness programs in the form of educating and informing about incurable diseases and cancer
Training for caregivers, nurses and volunteers
Assistance to widows, orphans and blind girls
Providing books and stationery to brilliant students who are denied the comforts of life
Providing free medicine to under-privileged patients through our health camps
Providing blankets and clothes to the destitute through awareness camps
Ruma Abedona Hospice (R.A.H.) takes immense pride and announces that we have collaborated with Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (http://cnci.org.in/) since July 29, 2013. R.A.H. has been functioning inside CNCI, a premier cancer institute in the eastern region of India, since July 29, 2013.
A greater impact with your help
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A greater impact with your help 〰️
PROJECTS
1. Providing medication and providing professional services. The current need is about USD$10,000/month
2. Building a care facility for respite care. Typical stay of 1 week. 10-bed capacity. USD$2,000,000
Providing pain relief and medications for free.
This is part of our medicine bank.
We are able to source quality medications at the best prices,
however, it is a costly part of what we do.
MONTHLY NEEDS
We provide pain relief, other medications and medical supplies for free. We source quality medications at the best prices. However, it is a costly part of what we do. We also need to hire qualified doctors and other medical personnel to oversee and provide many services to our patients.
10 BED INPATIENT RESPITE CARE FACILITY
In-home care is currently provided by volunteers and subsidized professional healthcare workers, all provided free to patients. However, our goal is to establish a short-stay respite centre with the capacity to care for ten patients.
LOCAL SUPPORT
Ruma Abedona Hospice has gained the widespread respect and support of the local community. Many volunteers donate blood and call on the hospice for services. Be assured that every dollar donated is spent directly and efficiently.
OUR PARTNERS
Ruma Abedona Hospice, Kolkata, IND
Ruma Abedona, USA
Without the support of many organisations and individuals in Kolkata, Australia and the USA, it would have been impossible to bring this care to the streets of Kolkata.
BECOME A PARTNER
If you would like to partner with us, fill out the form below, and one of our staff members will get back to you.
RUMA ABEDONA AUSTRALIA:
Joan Grosser (President)
Phone: 0419 044 155
Email: pres@rumahospice.org
Mike Cave (Future Directions)
Phone: 0417 986 389
Email: futuredirections@rumahospice.org
RUMA ABEDONA USA:
Ainslie Grosser
Phone: 615.480.8482
Email: ainslie@mac.com
Map shows the approximate location of the hospice in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
OUR STORY
Santanu and Meheli
IT ALL STARTED WHEN…
Life was beautiful for professional musician Santanu Chakraborty and his wife Ruma (Moitrayee Chakraborty). But the happiness didn’t last long. Tragedy struck them when Ruma was diagnosed with non-hodgkin’s lymphoma and passed away in October 2000.
Rumas’ demise exposed Santanu to the need for the care of the terminally ill. No resources or services were available to him in Kolkata at that time. During his mourning period, a desire grew to help others in Rumas’ circumstance. A shattered Santanu gave up his career as a musician, and soon he realized that God had entrusted him with a greater responsibility—to help patients suffering from cancer and other life-threatening ailments in their final stage of life.
In October 2001, Santanu went to Australia and underwent an extensive Palliative Care course at the McAuley training centre in Perth, Western Australia. He also completed his post-graduation in 2008 in Palliative Care and Health from Finders University, Adelaide, Australia. He did his practical training at Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, under the guidance of Dr Anil Tandon.
After returning to India, Santanu founded Ruma Abedona Hospice(R.A.H.) on July 29, 2002, in memory of his beloved wife, Ruma.
After 14 years of growing the Hospice, Santanu eventually married again. A faithful volunteer named Meheli. She shares his passion for the hospice and continues the work with Santanu.
Ruma Hospice Australia aims to provide the resources needed to deliver medicine and skilled care. Each dollar stretches a very long way in the Indian economy, so your giving is influential in providing compassion on the ground.
1. Monthly Giving
2. One-time Gift
3. Provide care in person
4. Sign up for news and possible upcoming ‘on the ground’ opportunities.
You can make a difference.
Your donation allows us to connect people and create partnerships around the world.
We run conservation projects with our partners, seeking the most constructive solutions.
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