“When you set out to teach, you’re the one who ends up learning the most”, Viji Venkatesh.
From September 3 to 10, 2025, Ms. Viji Venkatesh, Managing Trustee, Friends of Max, conducted an intensive series of training and support sessions at the CCHRC, Silchar. The invitation came from Dr. Ravi Kannan, Director of CCHRC, and a long-standing professional associate of Viji Venkatesh and Friends of Max.
The focus of the visit was to work closely with the hospital staff across departments, equipping them with soft skills essential to delivering compassionate and patient-centered care. Over the course of eight days, Viji engaged with more than 150 members of the clinical team, including physicians, nurses, administrative staff, laboratory technicians, housekeeping, and canteen staff. The training modules covered a wide spectrum, ranging from communication and coping skills to care for caregivers, volunteer and advocacy workshops, art, drama therapy, and storytelling.
Special attention was also given to sessions on self-care, particularly for physicians and professionals working in Palliative and Pediatric Oncology—underscoring the importance of well-being among those who care for others.
In addition to the staff training, Viji also held five dedicated Patient Support Group Meetings for individuals and families affected by Leukemias, Head & Neck Cancers, Women’s Cancers, Malignancies of the GI Tracts, and Pediatric Cancers.
The common will to serve the patients – better and better every day combined with their daily enthusiasm to learn and grow ensured the sessions maintained an atmosphere of energy and engagement until the very end, making the eight days a journey of mutual learning.
FOM and Viji extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Ravi Kannan, his wife Seetha, and the entire CCHRC team for their warmth and hospitality. Their support made the collaboration truly impactful and memorable, and provided a valuable opportunity to share our experience in cancer care and management.
About Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC)
CCHRC, located in Silchar in Assam, was established and is administered by The Cachar Cancer Hospital Society, a not-for-profit Non Government Organization.
Nearly 80% of its patients are daily wage labourers, tea garden and agricultural workers.
Nearly 75% of them are treated for free or at subsidized charges.
The hospital makes efforts to offer the best treatment possible to all irrespective of their socioeconomic background. Quick investigations and start of treatment, medicines below the MRP through an in-house pharmacy, free food to all in patients and needy attenders and ad hoc employment opportunities to able patients and attenders to substitute for loss of income during the treatment period are some of the measures put in place by the hospital to make cancer care available, accessible and affordable and to help completion of treatment. Satellite clinics, a home care programme and an active prevention and screening programme are all efforts to take cancer care to the community and closer to patients’ homes to enhance accessibility.
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