A chemo port is a small, implantable reservoir with a thin silicone tube that attaches to a vein. The main advantage of this vein-access device is that chemotherapy medications can be delivered directly into the port rather than a vein, eliminating the need for needle sticks.
Chemo port is usually offered when a patient’s medical treatment requires regular administration of medicines and infusions, such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. During the procedure veins can undergo thinning; locating veins to inject medicine and draw blood can become very difficult, even for qualified medical personnel. Without the help of chemo ports, repeated jabbing to locate these very thin veins might be inevitable. Chemo ports are a pain-free and efficient solution for addressing this issue.
Cancer affected children undergo more than 100 administered injections / medications and infusions during chemotherapy, which is painful and traumatic (imagine a one-year-old child going thru such an experience). In some instances, parents stop the treatment mid-way as they couldn’t handle the pain of seeing a cancer-affected child undergoing such trauma.
Lions Club of Chennai Skyline is proud to support the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children (formerly Govt. Children’s Hospital), Egmore, Chennai, and its patients. Our Club donated 24 Chemo Ports worth Rs.600,000/- (Cost of each Chemo port Rs.25,000/-), this new donation is in line with Lions Clubs International global causes – “Childhood Cancer – We serve to help those affected by childhood cancer survive and thrive”. The port would be to treat underprivileged childhood cancer patients with the latest technology, otherwise unaffordable to them.
On behalf of Lions Club of Chennai Skyline, District Governor, Lion P.V. Prakash Kumar presented the cheque of Rs.600,000 to Dr. Ezhilarasi – Director, Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children (formerly Govt. Children’s Hospital), Egmore, Chennai in the presence of First Vice District Governor – Lion S.V. Manickam, Cabinet Secretary – Lion Rajesh Joshi, District Chairperson – Childhood Cancer – Lion Badrinath, District Chairperson – Activities – Lion Baskar, Region Chairperson – Lion Ravishankar, Zone Chairperson – Lion Prasad Hari Parulekar, Club President – Lion Ghouse Babu, Secretary – Lion Fazlullaah, Treasurer – Lion Najeeb Usman Khan, Donor & Member – Lion Ziauddin Ahamed, other members and medical staff of the hospital.
The primary mover of the donation initiative was our Zone Chairperson – Lion Prasad Hari Parulekar under the mentorship and guidance of our Past District Governor – Lion L.K.S. Syed Ahamed. While attending a virtual “Cancer Awareness Programme” organized by our District Chairperson – Childhood Cancer – Lion Badrinath, our Zone Chairperson – Lion Prasad Hari Parulekar was influenced and moved by the dire need of chemo port (since the other NGO extending support earlier had to stop support of chemo port donation due to paucity of funds during this pandemic) to cancer affected children at Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children (formerly Govt. Children’s Hospital), Egmore, Chennai – he initiated the drive within the club and thru friends to help out.
Championing one of the key Lionism beliefs that children are our future and they deserve a better world than what we have, our mentor Past District Governor Lion L.K.S. Syed Ahamed as always beautifully crafted a fund drive strategy. He oft inspires the Skyliners and other Lions thru this quote of Winston Churchill ”WE MAKE A LIVING BY WHAT WE GET, BUT WE MAKE A LIFE BY WHAT WE GIVE.” – he led the donation drive from the front and secured donations, inspired the Skyliners and the community members to donate for this greater cause culminating in exceeding the target of 20 ports – truly a pied- piper, miracle man revered by lions and community members.
It was such a joy to be part of something so incredibly gripping which will make a tremendous difference to a child undergoing chemotherapy. We would like to thank all the donors for their generous donation. Our greatest supports are the people around us, our donors, and sponsors who continually inspire us.
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