63 cancer patients brought home in epic bus journey from Mumbai

An epic journey of over 2500 kilometre by a 6 bus convoy over a period of four nights five day delivered something considered impossible.

When 63 cancer patients rolled into the Sarusajai stadium of Guwahati last night, hundreds of relatives officials and media personnel and friends it was a sigh of relief as this journey was considered near impossible as many of the 63 patients needed medical support service throughout the journey.

But that was possible by great Devasish Sharma a bureaucrat turned Cancer fighter and a young doctor Dr Neelakhi Chaudhury, who kept ion serving the patients throughout this epic journey.

Debashish Sharma needs no more reintroduction as over the past 20 years his role in helping the cancer patients of Assam and Western India are written in Golden matters. He has been helping the patients even during the lockdown taking them personally to various hospitals driving the buses himself.

Dr Neelakhi's role in handling the patients in a moving bus and giving them drip and attending to all medical needs are just unbelievable. Neelakshi who did a fellowship programme in Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai has taken care of the patients in the entire journey while Devasish entertained the patients by playing with his guitar.

Neelakshi's mother while speaking to her friend proudly informed, "They have made 5 days 4 nights journey and reached Sarusajai stadium on Tuesday under the guidance of my daughter and Devasish. All the patients and my daughter were screened for COVID-19 and they have been sent to quarantine at Hotel Radisson Blu till the reports come. They reached Sarusajai at around 8.30 yesterday but still, I have not been able to meet my daughter yet as they are now under quarantine. If the reports come negative, they will be sent to home quarantine."

Both the Assam and Maharashtra government have provided food to the patients and toilet facilities have been done in the places during their journey.

Itmay be mentioned that 137 cancer patients arrived in Guwahati from Mumbai onTuesday night. State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received the patientsat Sarusajai Stadium.

Thepatients reached Guwahati in 6 sleeper buses and the cost of the entire journeyhas been borne by the state government of Assam and a voluntary organization.

The patients were screened at Sarusajai and after that, they were sent to quarantine center as per their wishes.

MinisterHimanta Biswa Sarma, while receiving the patients said that the swabs of thesepatients have been taken and till the reports come, they will be quarantined atHotel Radisson Blu.

Meanwhile,the results are set to come later today and if found negative the patients willbe sent to home quarantine.