CANCER AND AIDS SHELTER SOCIETY
Who are we?
Cancer and AIDS Shelter Society (CASS) with registration No. K577/99 was founded in 1999 as a charitable organization under the leadership of founder member Sr. Dolores Kannampuzha of medical mission. Promoted by a group of women in and around Kottayam. Situated in Kudamaloor, adjacent to KIMS hospital. In the early years, when HIV/AIDS was just beginning to be identified as a widely prevalent disease, the patients were subjected to isolation mostly due to the ignorance regarding the spread of HIV/AIDS.
There was a great deal of stigma attached to these patients as it was seen as a sexually transmitted disease. Children tested positive were segregated in schools. With the identification of an HIV/AIDS patient in a family the partner often lost the job which enhanced the financial stress of the family. CASS covers short fall of spiritual, emotional, social support and provides advice on treatment and good health practices. It also focuses on giving awareness about HIV/AIDS, in order to remove or at least minimize the stigma and social isolation of HIV/AIDS affected and infected persons.
What we do?
CASS has conducted a number of awareness programmes in several schools, colleges and groups like ‘Kudumbasree’ and unorganized sections of the society including drivers and people in slum areas of Kottayam and neighboring districts.
The society has directly and through the media succeeded in highlighting the public apathy to the HIV/AIDS infected and affected persons and the need for attitudinal change.
As the awareness increases the stigma would fade away and the HIV/AIDS victims would be able to have quality life. The society has worked hard to spread the message that with proper spiritual help, medication and balanced diet HIV affected persons can have normal happy life for a considerable length of time. At present, over a hundred families of HIV infected /affected persons from Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alapuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Iduki districts of Kerala are taken care of by the society. Provide educational support to approximately a total of 100 students among affected families.