The financial cost associated with cancer is overwhelming. Even though most drugs and treatment are provided by the hospital free of charge, when a bread winner or family member has been diagnosed at least one source of income is affected and can result in losing their means for living. Many patients and care givers travel regularly for treatments from all over the Island and are burdened further with difficulty to make ends meet.
Indira Cancer Trust ‘Livelihood Development Programme’ helps the patient or family member to restore their means of living through various initiatives that will help to make you self-reliant and open opportunities for livelihood to get back on your feet. The Livelihood Programme consists of many different components that the patient can benefit from:
In this initiative an amount of Rs5,000 is given to a family for six months after a rigorous background check to ensure that they are able to either improve a livelihood activity that is currently being done or to start a new initiative. A trained counselor will initially receive your detailed form along with supporting documents to verify low income, schedule an interview and will help you with your progress during the six months you receive the Financial Assistance through a monthly follow up call and phone interview to assess progress
Diriya Hala cancer patients or their caregivers to restore their livelihood. Indira Cancer Trust joined this.
Many patients and caregivers once they start to manufacture simple home-made products find it challenging to find a revenue without a proper place to sell them. Diriya Hala is a market place with stalls dedicated to provide a space to sell the products made by programme in 2018 which was initiated by the Apeksha Hospital and The Department of Social Service, Western Province.
With the COVID situation the number of Diriya Hala stalls conducted have reduced but still opportunities are available to participate at Christmas, New Year sales and other special gatherings and exhibitions. Indira Cancer Trust coordinates this project and provides transport, meals, refreshments and transport reimbursements to ensure the income is fully utilized by the patient or the caregiver. In addition, through the Diriya Hala programme we also support patients with certain equipment to enhance production of their product or equipment needed for display and sale of product. The selection of beneficiaries is done after a rigorous check and ensuring the need of the said equipment.
Every month a training session is conducted with experts on different vocations that patients and their family members may do. This programme is carried out with the intention of providing relaxation to patients with cancer, provide an opportunity to enhance a skill that they may have and for Indira Cancer Trust to identify patient’s family members that could support the production of TLC branded goods for the use by the Indira cancer Trust.
You may reach out to us through our dedicated cancer support helpline to join any of these initiatives for yourself or your loved one
No. 63, Hospital Rd,
Maharagama,
10280,
Sri Lanka
