To address the growing mental health needs of caregivers supporting kidney patients, Dr Georgi Abraham, Founder Trustee of Tamilnad Kidney Research (TANKER) Foundation, in collaboration with BALM represented by Dr. Lakshmi Sankaran (Deputy Director, Training & Research, ex-Chair, Dept of AP, BALM – The Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health), and Mrs. Shanthi Rajmohan (Founder Trustee, DIPA – Development Initiative for Promotion of Awareness), launched bilingual handouts (Tamil and English) focused on self-care and mental wellness for caregivers.

The event took place at the Greater Chennai Corporation RCME TANKER Dialysis Unit, at No. 97, Kodambakkam High Road, (Valluvarkottam) Nungambakkam, Chennai – 600034, Saturday, October 18, 2025.

Releasing the English version, Dr. Georgi Abraham emphasised the need to care for oneself while being a caregiver. People on dialysis and their families need help as it is a mentally, physically, emotionally and financially draining illness. The mental and emotional toll on caregivers is often overlooked. These handouts are an important step in promoting their well-being, which is essential for holistic kidney care. He expressed his gratitude to the Tamil Nadu government and Greater Chennai Corporation for their recent initiatives to improve dialysis care access and affordability.

Dr. S. Jayalakshmi, Professor of Nephrology, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), releasing the Tamil version of the handout commended TANKER, BALM and DIPA for their tireless efforts for their life-saving mission. She said just like we need to recharge a cellphone, it was important to recharge ourselves while being caregivers. In the GH they look at caregiving holistically and counsel patients and families accordingly.

Prof. P. Jesuin Bose, Program Head, Department of MSW in Disability and Empowerment, MSSW, Mr. P Rajendran, Co-Founder V-Shesh, and Dr. Preetha Krishnadas, Deputy Director, CMHSS, The Banyan, also spoke about the importance of self-care and gave advice on regular exercise, medical check-ups and Me time.

Mrs. Shanti Rajmohan, Founder of DIPA, which helps people on dialysis, said she was grateful to Banyan and TANKER Foundation for giving her the guidance and the opportunity to meet caregivers and patients and counsel them and learn from them. She said the pamphlet was the outcome of their requests to have a handy reference.