(ANS – Mannuthy) – Don Bosco College, Mannuthy, in Kerala, has become a trendsetter raising a sum of Rs 4,00,000 and donating it to the “Pain and Palliative Care Society”, Thrissur, for the treatment and care of terminally ill patients.

By Bibin Kunnakkattu, SDB

Each and every member of the 640 strong student community of DonBosco College played a decisive role in the collection of this substantial amount. All the students moved around in their neighborhood with coupons printed specifically for this purpose, and requesting assistance of the local people for patients who have been declared terminally ill and hence on the verge of death.

The public of Thrissur town responded with overwhelming generosity to the sincere and painstaking appeal of the young people.

The fund-raising was also combined with an inter-collegiate programme entitled “Ad Astra 2k15”. The programme “Ad Astra”, which in Latin means “to the stars”, had the motto “A jaunt into learning and sharing” and witnessed a great flow of students from various colleges of Kerala participating in various learning and entertainment activities.

The proceeds of “Ad Astra 2k15” were passed over to the Pain and Palliative Care Society in two installments: the first installment of Rs 3,00,000 was handed over on 13 February, during the Decennial Celebrations of the College, and the second amount of Rs 1,00,000 was given on 6 March. On the same occasion, there was also the planting of the cancer-resistant tree “Lakshmitharu” in the college campus.

Touched by the overflowing magnanimity, the Secretary of the Pain and Palliative Care Society said: “It is the first time in the history of our Society, that we get this much genuine and sincere attention and involvement from the students, staff and management of an educational institution.”

Interestingly on 5 March, at a meeting with the participants in the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life, reflecting on the theme "Support to the elderly and palliative care," the Pope said: “I encourage professionals and students to specialize in this type of assistance which is no less valuable for the fact that it “is not life-saving”. Palliative care accomplishes something equally important: it values the person. (…) It is this ability to serve life and the dignity of the sick, also when they are old, that is the true measure of medicine and society as a whole.”

Published 18/03/2015