Sri Matha Trust, which runs a dharmasala in the neighbourhood, has been a life saver for over six lakh cancer patients.
This week, ‘News Today‘ speaks to V Krishnamoorthy (75), the managing trustee of this facility, that allows out-station patients to stay here during the course of their treatment at the Cancer Institute.
Q: What is the vision of this place?
The Adyar Cancer Institute has patients from across the country. Most of them being economically-backward, these people who come here as out-patients, cannot afford accommodation or food.
Earlier, they used to stay in the banks of the Cooum river in thatched huts. It was then that a group of like-minded persons based out of Rajasthan, decided to set up this place for the benefit of such people.
Q: When and how did you come into the picture?
Even as 60 people offered donations to build this facility, they could not find a person or a body to execute this. So they went to Kanchi Kamakoti Math premises and met Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Sankaracharya Swamigal.
I have been his devotee for 30 years, doing charitable activities on his guidelines. Swamiji asked me to resign my job at Indian Oil, and commission this dharmasala in 2000.
Q: How are you driven to do this job?
I lost my mother to diarrhea when I was eight-years-old in a small village, where there were no hospitals or doctors.
I suffered a lot mentally post this incident, and decided to help others in similar situations. When His Holiness asked me for this job, I felt that I was given the right task. I did not want any young children to lose their mothers to cancer. There is an emotional attachment in this job, and is more than just paper work.
Q: Who is eligible to come and live here?
The dharmasala functions with donations from the general public. We give shelter, food, medicines and even pay for medical tests.
At present, we have 220 patients and attenders. We extend other assistance too, like clothes on special occasions.
Q: What is the biggest challenge ?
Cancer cannot be eradicated. All over the world, governments are spending billions of dollars, but they have not found a drug which will prevent or cure this disease.
Sri Matha Trust can be reached at 044-2442 0727.