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| Sreedevi Dileep, Changankulangara, Oachira |
A scene from the coastal village of Manimelikkadavu near Kayamkulam: a crowd has gathered in front of a house where a 70 year old woman with worm-infested cancerous wounds is being bathed by her relatives using a hose. Into this crowd steps in a woman in white dress. She gathers the patient in her arms, wipes her wounds and smiles at her. It is a new lease of hope for the old woman in her vintage days, and a routine activity of compassion and care for Sreedevi Dileep of Changankulangara, a staff nurse at RCPM Oachira Hospital and an active participant in the palliative care movement.
Sreedevi had a childhood of unfulfilled needs and wants. She also had to frequent many hospitals along with her parents. Perhaps the example of the angels in white dress inspired her then itself.
At the age of 17, she joined general nursing course at a local institute and later found a job at the RCPM Hospital at Oachira. During this time palliative care movement was gathering momentum in Kerala. She joined the movement and applied herself wholeheartedly to its activities.
Daily at least two persons seek her help. Most of them are senior citizens counting their days. In the midst of these activities she does attend to work n the hospital and takes care of her family’s needs. Her husband Dileep is employed in Dubai.
Decades of travel in a two wheeler on her mission of care has caused strain on her body. She recently underwent a surgery to get relief from severe backache. She relies on the support of her hospital staff and the backing of the palliative care colleagues.
Perhaps there wouldn’t be anyone who has not had the soothing touch of someone in white coat at least once in their lifetime. And among these angels in white, figures like Mother Teresa or Irene Sendler stand tall as beacons. And the ones like Sreedevi, silently pursuing their work in their locality, are also inspiring.
Courtesy: V.R.Jyothish (text), Tibin Augustine (photo), Vanitha, November 15-30, 2017
