The healing power of care and compassion

When 44-year-old Reema Sharma from Bokaro, Jharkhand visited Swasth Jharkhand, our screening and awareness kiosk at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) campus, in December 2021, she had a small and painful lump in her left breast.

At the kiosk, Reema was understandably lost, and afraid that something was terribly wrong with her. The mother of two sons wasn’t well educated, and her family’s poor financial condition only added to her worries about the cost of treatment. Losing the meagre income that she managed to earn by working as a ladies’ tailor in her locality was simply not an option in case her treatment was prolonged — given that her children’s education depended on it.

Reema had already visited RIMS once before when she first noticed the lump. However, over time, it continued to grow, resulting in an ulceration that eventually ruptured and formed a small wound. Despite taking painkillers, the wound refused to heal and the pain persisted. Her local doctors then advised her to a re-visit RIMS for further investigation.

This time around, the trained and helpful nurses at the kiosk conducted a thorough clinical breast examination and referred her to the RIMS Oncology department for a biopsy and other necessary tests. A Patient Navigator guided her through each stage of the process, and even went the extra mile to facilitate the collection of her reports.

The results confirmed what she had suspected all along – she had an invasive ductal carcinoma in her left breast. Reema was initially reluctant to undergo treatment, but with the guidance of our Patient Navigator, she was able to overcome her apprehension and agreed to proceed with the treatment.

During her chemotherapy regimen, Reema received constant support and encouragement from the kiosk team. They motivated her with stories of other cancer survivors who had gone on to live full and normal lives after completing their treatment.

Reema was scheduled to undergo a modified radical mastectomy with axillary clearance, but was initially nervous and hesitant about the surgery. After much persuasion by her Patient Navigator who assured her that she would be in the capable hands of a senior and experienced surgical oncologist, she agreed to go ahead with the procedure. Her Patient Navigator also took extra effort to reschedule the surgery for a later date to give Reema more time to build up her confidence.

After a successful surgery in April 2022, Reema underwent multiple cycles of chemotherapy. Eventually, her doctors had some great news to share — Reema was now cancer-free! However, as a precautionary measure, they advised her to return for a follow-up examination in six months.

Thanks to the compassionate care and timely medical intervention by the kiosk team, Reema has moved on from a life of despair and now looks forward to a healthier and happier future with support from her friends and family.