We would like to share the story of one of our patients, Purnima Rani, a 40-year-old woman diagnosed with ischemic heart disease. Purnima has no formal education and can only write her name. Her husband works as a school sweeper in Narayanganj, and for some time, she assisted him with the sweeping duties. Unfortunately, her illness forced her to stop working. Purnima’s family has faced immense hardships. Once a family of six, they are now reduced to four. Her elder son tragically passed away from liver cancer many years ago. Both her mother-in-law and her younger son, who was living with a disability, were registered as our patients. Heartbreakingly, they have also since passed away.
At the onset of her illness, Purnima Rani began experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath with minimum exertion and found herself unable to work effectively. She sought treatment at a hospital in Narayanganj, but her condition showed little improvement. Over time, the mounting medical expenses became unsustainable, especially as a significant portion of the family’s monthly income was being used to repay loans. This left them struggling to afford basic necessities such as food and rent, let alone her medical care. Amid this challenging situation, Purnima learned about our centre and reached out for help. We enrolled her as a registered patient, and she continues to receive our services to this day.
When she first came to us, Purnima was suffering from a range of symptoms, including cough, dry mouth, heartburn, pain, sleeplessness, dizziness, and weakness. Since beginning her care with us, many of these symptoms have been alleviated. The family’s financial struggles can be traced back to the time when their elder son was diagnosed with liver cancer. In a desperate attempt to fund his treatment, they borrowed a significant amount of money. Even after his passing, the burden of repaying these debts continues to place immense pressure on their limited resources.
We visit Purnima once or twice a week, as she relies entirely on our services. She diligently follows the prescribed medications, and if we are ever late or unable to visit, she inquires about our well-being and asks why we couldn’t come. On occasions when we cannot visit her, she takes the initiative to come to our centre and receive care through our Outpatient Department (OPD). Physically, Purnima’s condition has improved significantly, but she remains deeply worried about her financial challenges. To support her, we provide monthly food packs and medicines. Whenever she reaches out for assistance, we try our best to stand by her, treating her as one of our own. She shares a particularly warm bond with our Palliative Care Assistant, Lamiya Akter Tanni, whom she affectionately treats like a daughter.
Reflecting on her experience, Purnima said, “I can’t work like I used to. The monthly food packs and medicine support are a great relief and incredibly helpful for me. Without this assistance, it would be very difficult for me to survive. I feel so much better now because the team is always by my side. Thanks to the Compassionate Narayanganj team—I am truly indebted to them.”
Purnima’s story is a testament to the power of compassionate care and community support. Despite her struggles, she has found solace and improved health through the unwavering dedication of the Compassionate Narayanganj team. Her journey reminds us of the profound impact that kindness and solidarity can have on the lives of those in need.
From March 2018 to June 2021, the Department of Palliative Medicine of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) ran “Compassionate Narayanganj,” a community palliative care initiative in partnership with the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA) and Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC). After a 9-month interim period with fundraising, in March 2022, the project received a 3-year grant for the second phase. AYAT Education, a Bangladeshi social enterprise, and St Christopher’s Hospice, one of the UK’s pioneer hospices, have joined as partners. The second phase focuses on developing an integrated age-attuned model of supportive palliative care in Bangladesh and integrating PC into the government’s primary healthcare system.
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