At the end of the Perspective Building & Volunteer Management meeting in Kerala, it was clear: Ashakiranam Cancer Care campaign model will be upgraded for the coming 5 years with more effective plans specifically in the realm of Preventions, Volunteerism & Resource Mobilization. The state-wide campaign had converged communities, institutions and organisations to respond towards the challenging situation of Cancer burden.

The state-wide consultation meet was organized on August 29-30, 2017 at Munnar along with 27 Partner Organizations’ Directors from Kerala.

“We are one and we need to work together to form Volunteers as multipurpose workers, to prevent Cancer, to support Cancer patients”, said Executive Director of Caritas India Fr. Frederick D’Souza while sharing the Common Destiny, Common Identity, Common Vision & Common Concerns with the partners. He also said the Ashakiranam volunteers must be multi-purpose workers.

Fr. Paul Moonjely, Assistant Director of Caritas India presented the concept of Diakonia which is Gospel in Action. Sharing also included three-fold responsibilities of the Church, Caritas & Diakonia, Theological, Spiritual, Ecclesial, Christological foundations of Caritas & Diakonia, Diakonia in the Church, Volunteerism- the Diakonia expression etc.

All the directors presented their innovative models which could be replicated by other partners. Organic and family farming was one of the models which was adopted by many partners. Funds have been mobilised through various institutions, individuals and corporates to support Cancer patients. Volunteerism is a big movement under the Ashakiranam campaign where now children also joining the campaign. Initiatives like palliative care, hair donation, waste management, seed and seedling distribution, coinboxes, medical services and agricultural nurseries are also some of the models presented by the partners.

Various new suggestions were given for the next 5 years of Ashakiranam including creating Ashakiranam product all over Kerala which could be converted into revenue model, one Ashakiranam volunteer from each family and setting 5% support from each parish from their donation to support the cancer patients.