Blossom of Rose Garden : A Prelude
It was a warm day on 16th March 2008, Dr. G. Govindaraj, M.S., M.Ch., Surgical Oncologist, and his better half Dr. P. Sasipriya Govindaraj, M.D., DMRT., Radiation Oncologist, were in a congregation of their kith and kin, doctor friends, well-wishers and other dignitaries. It was the First Death Anniversary Meet of Srimathi. Dhanabackiyam, beloved mother of Dr. Govindaraj, a benevolent woman known for her compassion towards the poor. Dr. G. Govindaraj who already lost his loving father to throat cancer with a determination that ‘let no one have the pain I had,’ was now in a more invigorated state. Similarly Dr. Sasipriya Govindaraj who lost her father, was too in a frame of mind to ‘do something’ for the downtrodden people.
And, It was the wonderful day that the doctor couple decided to start a terminal care center – a hospice – for poor Cancer patients, and announced their noble decision amid the applauding audience. Then it was decided to start a charitable trust in the name of the doctors’ late parents namely Smt.Dhanabackiyam & Sri.Ganesan, Dr. Govindaraj’s parents and Sri. Ponniah, Dr. Sasipriya’s Father, thus the genesis of Dhanabackiyam Ganesan Pon Memorial Trust.
The Trust started with a vision to provide free medical services and a serene living to the terminal cancer patients to live the rest of their life. One Mr. Salai Bather, an ardent well-wisher suggested the nick name Rose Garden, to the Trust. Henceforth the Trust is popularly known as Rose Garden.
From day one of the incorporation Rose Garden actively started its communal services of conducting lively Cancer Awareness Programs and Free Cancer Screening Camps indiscriminate of cast, creed, gender, economy and geography. By its inception from 2008 (Regn. No. 620/08, IT exempted u/s 80G) till now Rose Garden has conducted more than 480 camps, and thousands of people from all walks of life have benefitted. (Please see the photo gallery and fact sheets in the following pages).
A humble beginning, but with a noblest ambition, Dr. G. Govindaraj and his wife Dr. P. Sasipriya Govindaraj have made Rose Garden now bloom into an ‘eden garden’, where ‘life’ is well preserved.
As one more feather to its hat, Rose Garden started an unique Program called Pink Cross Society, chaired by Dr. G. Govindaraj, M.S., M.Ch., & Dr. P. Sasipriya Govindaraj, M.D. DMRT., to alight a complete awareness among Students and Youth Community in particular, on the delirious consequences of using of tobacco, causes of Cancer, prevention of Cancer and Cancer itself. The prime aim for this Society is to ignite the young minds which can influence the entire society commendably. (Please see the Photo gallery).
As cancer is considered to be the second largest killer, any meaningful approach to the lethal disease would be prevention and early diagnosis. Hence Rose Garden focuses chiefly on awareness, early detection/screening, prevention and palliative care, whereas most of the hospitals are oblivious of these vital factors and concentrate only on treatment, when Cancer becomes hard to treat.
Harshamitra Cancer Centre to alleviate the dreadful perception on Cancer, generously funds and shares its expertise with Rose Garden Trust to encourage their noble mission against Cancer:
- Creating Cancer Awareness among the entire community.
- Cancer Screening Camps for prevention and early detection.
- Financial Assistance for the poor and needy Cancer Patients.
- An Upcoming Project to build a monumental Cancer Memorial cum Meditation Hall at Viralimalai (a small placid town 30 km Away from Trichy on Trichy-Madurai National Highway) for free terminal care for poor Cancer Patients.
- Uplifting the poor youth by providing para-medical training through Rose Garden Institute of Para Medical Education and Research (RIPMER), affiliated to BSS and The Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University.