After surviving cancer, Abbot Paponpat Jiradhammo dedicated himself to easing the pain of fellow victims in the terminal stages of the disease
In 1996, Pra Ajarn Paponpat, who entered the monkhood in 1979, almost died of cancer himself, so he decided to devote his remaining years to help other patients cope with terminal cancer.
"For third- and fourth-stage patients, the survival rate is now about 12 per cent, based on a recent survey at Arokhayasarn (part of Wat Khampramong), where we provide holistic care to poor patients, free of charge.
"If the patients are in the early first and second stages of cancer, the survival rate is much higher, at around 50 per cent, based on a survey of 1,152 patients from 2005 to 2008.
"The holistic approach means that we treat the patients with herbal medicine and use meditation, proper diet, physical exercise, music and laughter therapies, plus modern medicine when appropriate.
"At present, there are eleven key herbs used in the treatment, including khao yen nua, khao yen tai, ya nuad maew, nguak pa mor, plus supplementary herbs to deal with specific types of cancer and to boost the body's immune system.
"Some of these herbs are no longer available in the northeast so we have to get them from neighbouring Laos.
"Then, there's the daily one-hour meditation course plus a nine-minute session to prepare for death. This means you're spiritually ready to pass away when you're here.
"The patients also need to do physical exercise such as aerobic dance, yoga and chi kong. We also emphasise music and laughter to relax the patients."
"Our philosophy is to befriend the cancer cells and be able to smile at them. Back in 1996, I was dying from nasal cavity cancer. My body was in very bad shape following lots of chemotherapy and radiation. I was bleeding and couldn't take the treatment any longer. Eventually, I resorted to doing deep meditation to stop the pain, and found it's a matter of powerful spirituality overcoming the cancer.
"During that period, I also tried many brews and concoctions of herbal medicines found in the northeast, to boost the immune system so as to slow the growth of tumors.
"Once these abnormal cells are at peace, they're no longer your enemy. Yet, we have to change the diet to minimise proteins, for example, so that we do not feed the cancerous cells. We need to relax because stress is the friend of cancer, as it weakens the immune system. All the patients here need to have faith."
Wat Khampramong has offered palliative care to cancer patients since 2005. At one time, so many sick people sought refuge at the temple that a pavilion originally built for miscellaneous purposes had to be used as a ward. Most of the patients are terminal cancer victims who come to wait for the last day of their lives. Most have been rejected from hospitals. Initially the treatment aims to improve the patients' physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. After that, Pra Ajarn Paponpat, who is fondly and respectfully called "Luang Ta" by local villagers, introduces a traditional herbal therapy that significantly improves the care outcome.
The care provided at Arokhayasarn combines alternative therapy, Chinese traditional medicine and modern Western care. The physicians and nurses offer physical, emotional and spiritual treatment on a voluntary basis, with Pra Ajarn Paponpat managing the overall care system to enable patients from all walks of life to receive holistic care regardless of race, religion, gender or age.