FATHOMING the UNFATHOMABLE

It is five years since a shade of good hope has been spread out. In 2008, a collective of like-minded people with the capital of love and mercy, and concern for the growing number of the destitute, the poor, and those suffering from various diseases in our society have started Thanal-the six letters symbolizing refuge-refuge from what misfortune keeps in store for us-disease, physical and mental handicaps, homelessnessetc. For five years, with the help of people from various sectors-social activists, professionals, politicians, media persons, artists, cultural leaders, Thanal has been able to make a hole in the dark curtain of misfortune hanging over many of those suffering from bitterness in the backyard of our society and to shoot the fresh, flashing rays of hope Ever since its inception, Thanal has focused on those who are suffering from renal ailments. Renal diseases are being detected at an increasing rate in our society and they account for significant morbidity and mortality. Availability and affordability of care involved are the two major hurdles faced by the needy society. Currently the incidence of end stage renal failure in India is 150 to 200 per million population and only less than 30% has access to treatment which is either lifelong dialysis or renal transplantation. Thanal's initiative of starting a high volume dialysis center made it possible for the needy patients to get standard of care dialysis at their door-step at an affordable cost and this is a big social responsibility that Thanal is committed to. In the dialysis centre run by Thanal, 18 dialysis machines provide treatment to 54 patients per day, either free of cost or at a much reduced cost. Thanal also provides residential facility to patients and bystanders who reach here from far-off places, especially from southern districts. This is just a scoop of water to assuage a conflagration of a severe disease, which is growing in dangerous proportions. For our country with its population and economic challenges, large volume institutes which can lead with effective and affordable health care are the need of the hour for renal diseases. The next whole-hearted project that we would desire to submit to the people of Kerala is a Regional kidney institute. Modeled in the lines of Regional Cancer Center, Thiruvananthapuram we would like to start an institute with basic pillars of service, research and education. We aim of wiping the tears of suffering kidney patients in the state by providing widest range of comprehensive and high-quality services to patients with kidney and urinary tract diseases irrespective of one's financial background. This is our humble belief that - "No one should die only because the person cannot afford to live".