Tucked beside the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Regional Cancer Centre (ABVRCC) in Agartala is a place that doesn’t just offer shelter – it offers hope. It’s called ‘Apna Ghar’, and for many cancer patients and their families, it becomes a second home during some of the hardest days of their lives.
Run as a CSR initiative by Intas Pharmaceuticals under the Intas Foundation, Apna Ghar provides free lodging and meals to cancer patients and their caregivers, especially those who travel long distances for treatment, often from remote villages with very little to rely on. What began as a humble initiative has now grown into a nationwide network, with Apna Ghar present in 30+ states and Union Territories, reaching thousands of lives across India.
But what makes Apna Ghar truly special isn’t just the physical comfort it provides. It’s the emotional support, the sense of community, and the quiet reassurance that no one has to go through this journey alone.
Most people who arrive at Apna Ghar are scared, tired, and overwhelmed. They’ve left behind their homes, jobs, and daily lives to fight a disease that turns everything upside down. For many, this is their first time in a city, or in a hospital setting. But within a few days at Apna Ghar, something begins to shift. Strangers become companions. Meals turn into shared stories. Diwali, Holi, and birthdays are celebrated like family events. Patients and caregivers sit together in the evenings, laughing, painting diyas, or just talking about life beyond illness.
Here, healing goes beyond medicine. Group conversations, counselling sessions, and informal support circles help ease the emotional burden that comes with cancer. People speak openly about their fears, their families, their pain, and in doing so, they begin to heal not just physically, but emotionally. There’s comfort in knowing someone else understands what you’re feeling. And that’s what Apna Ghar offers – understanding, without judgment.
This space is especially important for those who come from low-income backgrounds, where even affording a bus ticket can be difficult. Many patients would skip or delay treatment simply because they couldn’t afford to stay in the city. Apna Ghar fills that gap, ensuring that care isn’t denied just because someone is poor. It upholds something that should be a basic right: the right to heal with dignity.
What Intas Foundation has created through Apna Ghar is more than a CSR project, it’s a living example of what compassionate healthcare looks like. It’s a reminder that small gestures like a warm meal, a safe bed, or a kind word can make a world of difference when someone is going through their darkest days.
In a place like Tripura, where access to advanced healthcare is still a challenge for many, Apna Ghar stands out as a quiet but powerful force. It doesn’t make headlines, but it makes
life a little better for hundreds of families each year. And for those who walk through its doors feeling broken and afraid, it offers a reason to believe that things will get better.
Because in the end, that’s what Apna Ghar truly is – a place where healing finds a home.
