Kumar says the project involves the community, because illness is a social issue that affects many people, not just the patient and their family.
“They [the volunteers] are not trained with the condition that they should work as volunteers in the project, but it is hoped that … these sensitized and trained people will behave more sensibly, more competently, and more compassionately when facing a situation [of terminal or chronic illness],” he said.
Sivanthi said her and her husband’s work with the project has changed the way her family perceives others.
She brings her children with her when she makes home visits and they help her care for the patients. She said this has instilled a strong value of compassion in her children.
Today, the community-based Palliative Care Project spans across the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal, and has roughly 100,000 volunteers.
