MGM Cancer Institute Completes 100 Bone Marrow Transplants, Launches Swasthi Patient Benefit Card
Chennai: MGM Cancer Institute marked World Rose Day with the completion of 100 bone marrow transplants (BMTs) since April 2024 and the launch of the Swasthi Patient Benefit Card, an initiative aimed at providing educational financial assistance to underprivileged children who have survived cancer treatment and undergone BMT.
The 100 transplants performed at the institute since April 2024 involved patients with conditions including thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, aplastic anaemia, immunodeficiencies, leukaemia and myeloma. The procedures included autologous transplants, matched family donor transplants and complex half-matched transplants.
Swasthi Card to Support Education
MGM Cancer Institute, in association with Anamaya Children’s Trust, will provide financial assistance through the Swasthi Patient Benefit Card for eligible cancer survivors when they reach Classes X and XII.
Students will be selected based on multiple eligibility criteria, including beneficiaries covered under government-sponsored treatment schemes.
More than 60 families of cancer survivors, including over 25 children, participated in the World Rose Day event. Roses were distributed to honour the survivors.
The programme also included cultural performances, singing and dance, talks by cancer survivors, a magic show, games and activities for children. The event highlighted cancer awareness, early detection, emotional support and the challenges faced by patients and their families.
Focus on Advances in Childhood Cancer Treatment
H. Vinoth, Indian film director and screenwriter; Vishnupriya Ravi, Indian playback singer; Deepa Venkat, Managing Trustee, Swarna Bharat Trust; Aparna Shyam, Managing Trustee, Tiara Kids; and Dr. Nitin Agarwal, Head of DRM, DKMS Foundation India, attended the event as chief guests along with Dr. Prashanth Rajagopalan, Managing Director, MGM Healthcare.
Saravanakumar Rajan, Chief Operating Officer, MGM Cancer Institute, said the Swasthi initiative was intended to extend support to cancer survivors beyond medical treatment and help address educational expenses.
Dr. Deenadayalan, HOD and Clinical Lead, Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and BMT, said India sees about 75,000 children diagnosed with cancer annually. He noted that advances in early detection, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, bone marrow transplantation and cellular therapy have contributed to improved cure rates, which he said have reached nearly 90%.
Dr. M. Gopinathan, Consultant, Hemato-Oncology (BMT), said World Rose Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness, support patients and recognise the role of caregivers and cancer survivors in the recovery journey.
The institute also noted that advances in translational science have improved transplant procedures and enabled them to be performed safely across a wider range of ages.
Government-supported healthcare schemes including TNMCHIS, PMJAY and Arogya Sri, among others, are empanelled at MGM Cancer Institute to support access to bone marrow transplant procedures for patients from different financial backgrounds.
