Manipal: “Cancer is not a death sentence any more. Developments in treatment modalities and technology offer hope today,” said H.S. Ballal, Pro-Chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) at the Cancer Survivors’ Meet – 2018 organized by the Shirdi Sai Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, a constituent of the Kasturba Hospital, here on Friday.

About 100 survivors of cancer and their caregivers took part in the meet organised to share information about cancer and how to face it successfully.

Addressing the meet, Dr. Ballal added that survivors often had immense knowledge on how to take care of cancer patients. He pointed out that the purpose of the meeting was to motivate survivors and the newly-diagnosed patients to move further in life.

The Shirdi Sai Baba Cancer Hospital and Research Centre here now offered the latest technology equipment’s including the Stereotactic Radio Surgery, he said.

At the interactive session, experts pointed out that the most important factor in a triangle of doctor-patient-medicine was the patient. Patients need to keep good faith and hope and follow the medication and wellness guidelines. They also said that a lot things were possible through treatment. “Early diagnosis was the key to overcoming this disease,” they said

There was a session on keeping mentally fit from a psycho-oncologist to motivate survivors. They and their caregivers also discussed dealing with disease and wellness with a panel of oncologists.