Tamil Nadu: Cancer survivors at Egmore hospital in urgent need of diapers

CHENNAI: It’s been a year since G Vijayalakshmi and her husband made their way from the Andamans to the Government Children’s Hospital in Egmore to seek medical help for their son, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer.
For the parents, who are already struggling to make ends meet, what takes a real toll financially is the number of diapers they have to purchase regularly for their son.
“On a regular day we run through four or five diapers a day. And when he has chemotherapy, he gets loose motions, and we need many more. We have lost count of how many we have to buy in a month,” says Vijayalakshmi. “While he gets free treatment, we have had to pawn our jewellery to meet our other expenses and are struggling to raise money to buy the diapers as he cannot do without it.”
To help families like that of Vijayalakshmi, Ilayugam Trust recently launched a Diaper Drive, requesting people to donate or sponsor diapers for children in the cancer ward of the hospital.
“One of the volunteers there contacted us for help. When we visited the hospital, we found that there are a lot of families there who need help. Many of them come from other districts of Tamil Nadu and there are a few from other states,” says Alexander Athisayanathan, director, Ilayugam Trust. “While the children get free medicines, the parents have to spend about Rs 70 a day on diapers. And it’s tough as many of them are unable to work as they are tending to their sick children.”
Celine Mary, who has been volunteering with the hospital for the last six months, says that people often don’t realise how much money parents end up spending on just diapers.
The trust has managed to distribute 2,500 diapers so far. “But we need more as there are many families who need it every day,” says Athisayanathan. “People who wish to help can donate diapers or money directly or to the Trust.”
Vijayalakshmi says donating diapers will really help families that are struggling. “We have received diapers from the Trust three times. Each regular packet contains 10 pieces, which last about a day, and bigger ones will last a few days,” she says. “It will really help a lot of children here.”
People who wish to donate can contact Ilayugam Trust at 8072467559 or mail ilayugam.org@gmail.com.