PatientsEngage General Community

Medical or therapeutic clowns can bring in smiles and comfort where there is disease and trauma. The MeDiClown Academy started by Fif Fernandes and Hamish Boyd in Auroville has been bringing joy to patients and aims to create MeDiClowning as a recognised profession in India. The concept of medical clowns is still new in India. Could you tell us a little about your enterprise the MeDiClown Academy? MediClown Academy became a registered activity of the Auroville Foundation in 2013. We have…

Wholesome pancakes can work on a complete meal that can be eaten for breakfast or dinner! Kids absolutely devour it and never can tell that it is a sugarless treat! Servings: 4-6 thick pancakes Ingredients ½ cup whole rolled oats ½ cup whole wheat flour I egg (for eggless option, use 2 tbsp yogurt) ¼ cup paneer or cottage cheese ½ cup of diced apples or bananas 4-6 almonds (chopped) 1 tsp of ground cinnamon 1 tsp of vanilla essence 2-3 tbsps of milk (or as required) Sprinkle of flax seeds (…

Pain is one of the most disturbing and feared complication of cancer. Therefore, it needs to be addressed at all costs. Excerpted from newly published book – ‘Conquering Pain’. During her last admission to hospital, three weeks before she finally succumbed to leukaemia, thirteen-year-old Ms M.A. was in severe pain due to multiple reasons: Ulcers in the mouth and painful inflammation of the face, as a result of the side-effects of chemotherapy Bone pain in the legs, due to the disease affecting…

Cancer pain can be treated and quality of life in a cancer patient can be enhanced by appropriate medications, emphasise Dr Mary Abraham, Pain & Palliative Care Physician, and Dr Vandana V Prakash, Clinical Psychologist. Despite increased attention to cancer pain, it still continues to be a major issue with cancer patients and survivors. Why is it so? There are many reasons why cancer pain is still a major issue with cancer patients and survivors. Firstly, there is a misconception and fear…

We are often caught unawares by medical emergencies. But it does not need to be so. We can plan and reassess the plan regularly. Here are some guidelines and pointers on what you should consider.   It is unnerving when a loved one falls suddenly and seriously ill at home, or there is an accident. The family member may feel disorientation and denial, hoping to just wait out, or may thrash about like a headless chicken trying to arrange for transport to the hospital and unsure what to…

Diet changes are an integral part of management of many chronic conditions. Here are real life experiences of eight women who incorporated diet and nutrition changes in their disease management regimen.  Celiac Disease When Jeeva Anna George was diagnosed with Celiac disease, an uncommon digestive disorder causing inflammation of the small intestine, her whole life began revolving around food. Here she talks at length about her personal journey and how she learnt the hard way to control…

To our readers and members from India! United in Health!  

We all have some bad habits. Many of these affect our health – both physically and mentally. This Independence Day, we posed a question to our contributors - Are there any unhealthy habits that you would like to break free from? And received a range of interesting responses. What are the unhealthy habits you want to free yourself of? 1)   Imran Mohammad Ali - Thalassemia Major I think if I have to pick the unhealthy habits I would like to be free of, they would be overthinking -…

Having hope for a cure for an incurable disease is essential as it gives a purpose to be alive but making it the centre of your world is where the problem lies, writes Vineet Saraiwala.  My brother and I have retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a degenerative eye condition in which vision deteriorates as age progresses. There is currently no scientific cure for my condition but I am optimistic of a cure with the rapid advancements in research happening across the world. Some medical conditions are…

Nothing prepares you for the loss of a parent, even in adulthood. On the first anniversary of her mother's death, Shweta talks of coming to terms with the loss as she reminisces about the year gone by. Last May, one ugly morning, we all woke up to a new reality. My ma, who had been living life full of vitality till the previous night, decided not to wake up. In just a few minutes, a seismic shift had altered our lives forever. The first several weeks, and months, and on random days without…