The Khailshankar Durlabhji Avedna Ashram—established on the hospice concept—is the only centre in the State of Rajasthan providing free palliative care services to patients with terminal illnesses (mostly advanced cancer cases). These patients, who are virtually broken in all terms—financial or societal—are taught to live with dignity and comfort and cope with the realities of life and of the disease. These patients who have gone beyond the curative stage come here not only from Rajasthan, but from other parts of the country as well—in fact, more patients come from other neighbouring States than from Rajasthan. The centre is a firm believer in Mother Teresa’s words that "we can cure physical diseases with medicines but the only cure for loneliness, despair and helplessness is love. There are many in this world dying for a little love."

It is the neat and clean home-like living conditions, the serene ambience, nutritious food as per specific requirements, devoted nursing care and expert medical supervision that adds meaning to the life of these patients. Unlike the strict clinical and disciplined environment of a hospital, the Avedna Ashram has assiduously cultivated informal living conditions that provide fellow-feeling and community living. It is only here that the patients are also permitted occasionally to go home and meet their near and dear ones and again come back to the Ashram. According to Dr. S. G. Kabra, Advisor of the Avedna Ashram, the centre has provided 37,000 patient-day services including all palliative nursing and medical care and medicines to 1,329 patients suffering from advanced cancer, till June, 2002. Presently, it has 70 per cent occupancy of the 75 beds at the centre. In the first year of its existence, that is, 1998, only 44 patients availed of its facility for a total of 1,493 days. However, once awareness increased, the number of patients visiting the centre also went up. In 1998, in all 237 patients lived at the centre for a total of 7,510 days. In 2001, 452 patients came to the centre and lived for 8,310 days. The centre is proving to be a sanctuary for cancer patients from all over Rajasthan and the neighbouring States. Over 200 patients who have come to the centre so far are from outside Rajasthan. The centre also provides free boarding and lodging to people with paralysis below the waist. It enables such paraplegic patients to become self-dependent through physiotherapy. The treatment given here enables the paraplegics to develop their able muscles so as to undertake all normal routine activities on their own.

A chat with some of the patients reflects the warmth, kindness and the dignity they get during the remaining days of their lives. For 24-year old Mukesh, it’s like heaven. His cancer of the brain that protruded from the skull was a sight that even some doctors could not fully come to terms with, leave alone treatment and regular dressing of his wound. But here, not only is his wound neatly dressed every day, he is given full medication also. The zeal of the nursing staff and doctors is enabling him to lead a normal life. His wife, Santosh—the embodiment of courage seen always with a smiling face—not only takes care of him, but also the other patients at the Avedna Ashram.