Apollo Cancer Centres, Vanagaram Launches ‘Apollo Nambikkai’ to SupportCancer Survivors Move Beyond Treatment
Chennai : Apollo Cancer Centres, Vanagaram launched ‘Apollo Nambikkai’, a cancer survivorship support community designed to help survivors and caregivers stay connected, informed and supported after active treatment.
The initiative was launched as part of a Cancer Survivors Programme, which brought together around 100 cancer survivors and caregivers to honour their journeys and recognise the challenges that can continue even after treatment ends.
For many people, completing cancer treatment is a major milestone, but life after treatment can bring new questions, from managing nutrition and lifestyle changes to emotional wellbeing, rehabilitation, returning to work and coping with the fear of recurrence. Apollo Nambikkai aims to provide a trusted space where survivors and caregivers can connect with others who have been through similar experiences and access credible guidance from healthcare professionals.
The community will initially serve Apollo Cancer Centres Vanagaram and will be open to across all units – Apollo survivors or caregivers irrespective of treatment centre. Membership will be free, with registration available through mobile.
A dedicated WhatsApp community will enable members to stay engaged through expert sessions, survivor interactions, nutrition and lifestyle guidance, psychological wellbeing sessions, webinars, community meets, etc. On a regular basis, a multidisciplinary team of oncologists, dietitians, psychologists/psychiatrists and other healthcare professionals will address the physical, emotional and social aspects of survivorship through WhatsApp messages.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Suresh, HOD & Senior Consultant, Medical Oncology, Apollo Cancer Centres, Vanagaram, said, “Completing treatment is an important milestone, but survivorship comes with its own set of questions and challenges. Apollo Nambikkai is about creating a community where survivors and caregivers can share their experiences, find reliable guidance and draw strength from one another. We want people to know that they do not have to navigate life after cancer alone.”
The programme was attended by Mr. Badava Gopi, Comedian and Actor, Kollywood, as Special Guest. Also present were Mr. John Chandy, CBO, Group Oncology, Apollo Hospitals and Mr. Kaarthik Ramamurthy, COO, Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Vanagaram.
Commenting on Apollo’s broader vision for survivorship care, Mr. John Chandy, CBO, Group Oncology, Apollo Hospitals, said, “Cancer care goes beyond active treatment. Survivors often need continued medical, emotional and rehabilitative support as they return to everyday life. At Apollo, we see survivorship as an integral part of the cancer care journey. Through Apollo Nambikkai, we aim to build a supportive ecosystem that connects survivors and caregivers with the guidance, rehabilitation and peer support they need to move forward with greater confidence and quality of life.”
