Featured Team Profile

Dr DC Doval, MD Trust Member Shraddha Cancer Care Trust Medical Oncologist Ganga Prem Hospice

Dr Dinesh Chandra Doval

An oncologist has to see death and suffering day in and day out, and Dr Dinesh Chandra Doval's role as a senior oncologist at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute (RGCI), Delhi, has meant that he knows terminally-ill patients' needs very closely. Dr Doval first became involved with Ganga Prem Hospice due to his close and long-time professional association with Dr Ajay Dewan who is the medical director of the hospice. "As nuclear families grow in number, when there is a terminally-ill patient in the family, there is hardly anybody around to look after him. This is where hospice care becomes so important," says Dr Doval. The oncologist feels that cancer is now not just an acute disease but also a chronic one as life expectancy is growing and people with cancer are living longer.

Ganga Prem Hospice patients have received care and consultation from some of the top cancer specialists of Delhi and Dr Doval is one of those distinguished doctors. The doctor has been a Senior Consultant and Chief of Medical Oncology at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute since 1996. Dr Doval is especially interested in educating patients about cancer and ways to combat the disease. To do this, Dr Doval has been involved in publishing print literature on cancer for RGCI as well as in organizing international conferences on breast cancer. The oncologist not only prescribes treatment and provides supportive care to patients, but also gives psychosocial support to his patient

Apart from being a top-ranking oncologist, Dr Doval is also an excellent teacher and lecturer. "I have been involved in teaching Oncology, especially medical oncology, since 1982 both to the undergraduates and post graduates and super specialty students."

Although Dr Doval's 12-hour work schedule of attending to patients in the OPD of the hospital and during rounds of the wards gives him little time to do anything else, the doctor likes to spare some time to pay attention to his scientific work during the day. "Whatever time I have left over, I singularly like to give it to my family," concludes the doctor.