New Delhi, Delhi, India
[gt_alert id=”gt-alert-236″ title=”” dismissable=”0″ type=”info” title_color=”” content_color=”” content_background=”” border_size=”” border_style=”none” border_color=”” border_radius=”” css=””]- Smt. Sangeeta Jaitley, Wife of Finance Minister flags off CanSupport’s annual ‘Walk for Life’.
- Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Shri Manish Sisodia joins in the stride against cancer.
CanSupport, pioneer in the field of home-based palliative care runs the largest program for people with cancer in North India. It organized its 9th annual walk-a-thon called “Walk for Life” today at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Smt. Sangeeta Jaitley, wife of the Hon’ble Finance Minister flagged off the Walk, on a colourful Sunday morning, the event saw students, prominent citizens and people from all sections of society walk shoulder to shoulder to express their solidarity with those living with cancer, and to mark World Cancer Day.
Smt. Sangeeta Jaitley, Shri Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister; and Priya Dutt Political Activist, walked along with Harmala Gupta, CanSupport Founder President. Smt. Sangeeta Jaitley along with Harmala Gupta led the Lap of Honour organized for Survivors that got a huge applause from the walkers. This was followed by the bikers, cyclists, runners and the skaters leading the walkers along the route.
This year, CanSupport’s Walk for Life witnessed more than 8,000 walkers including members of the diplomatic corps, ambassadors of many countries, expat community, corporate houses, schools and colleges in Delhi. They walked down the 3 kms. route from Gate No: 1 around Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to show they care and to support the work of the organisation in the field of palliative care. There were a total of 25 schools, 27 colleges & 30 corporates participating in the Walk.
CanSupport’s annual Walk aims to create awareness about cancer, and to raise funds for the free-of cost services to people affected by cancer and to honor/applaud the struggle against cancer.
Certificates of Merit and prizes were awarded to different groups to laud them for their active efforts in furthering the CanSupport cause. Boeing International Corporation India was acknowledged as CanSupport’s largest supporter for 2015-2016. Certificates were given for the Largest School Group – New Era Public School, the Largest Corporate Group- KPMG and the Largest Volunteer Group- Rotaract Club. Also awarded were the Highest Individual Pledge Raiser and the Highest Institutional Pledge Raiser.
“As a responsible stakeholder in the mission for a healthier India, it is satisfying to see our employees and their contribution towards the fight against cancer,” said Pratyush Kumar, president, Boeing India. “Boeing believes there can be no greater privilege than to help in transformation of lives for a better tomorrow. It is encouraging to see the turnout today for the walk.”
Kumar also acknowledged CanSupport’s efforts in providing support to Cancer patients across the country.
In India, cancer has become one of the three leading causes of death, according to estimates from the Cancer Registry Program of ICMR reveal that Delhi has the highest prevalence rate in India – there are currently 200,000 people in the capital with cancer with about 21,000 being added annually. Of these, 10,000 die every year. On the back of this disheartening statistics is the fact that 75%-80% patients are diagnosed when they are in the 3rd or 4th stage of cancer – hence the key role for palliative care for these people, over and above medical interventions and treatment.
Harmala Gupta, Founder of CanSupport thanked all participants and volunteers who had gathered together to express their solidarity with the cause of cancer. “Unlike the west, where survivorship figures for cancer are on the rise, in India, unfortunately, the majority are diagnosed when cancer has already spread and cure becomes difficult” she said. Gupta, a cancer survivor herself, believes that palliative care is a neglected field in India, with the focus of government and private hospitals on treatments that may not be affordable. “CanSupport helps ease the suffering and turmoil of patients and families coping with advanced illness that threatens their dignity and quality of life.” she added. CanSupport is a pioneer in the field of palliative care and runs the largest home-care programme for people with cancer in North India.
The 2016 Walk for Life is supported by Boeing International Corporation India Pvt Ltd. as Principal Sponsor, while Max India Foundation is Associate Sponsor.
[gt_heading id=”gt-heading-144″ tag=”h1″ type=”double-separator” text_align=”left” icon=”” separator_color=”” font_size=”21″ font_color=”” font_weight=”900″ css=””]About CanSupport[/gt_heading]CanSupport is a not-for-profit registered society that has since 1996 delivered home based palliative care, free of charge, to thousands of people battling cancer in Delhi and its neighborhood. Its home care service, delivered by a team of professionals trained in palliative care, is recognized worldwide and has brought much needed medical, nursing and emotional support to the doorstep of people battling with the advanced stages of cancer. The focus is on the underserved and the less privileged, which is why CanSupport depends on donations and the goodwill of the public to sustain its programmes which are all offered free of charge. At any point in time, we look after 1800 patients.
CanSupport also has a telephone helpline, a Day Care, peer support groups and counseling services. It is at the forefront of training medical professionals, nurses, counselors and caregivers in Delhi and North India. Besides the annual Foundation Course in Palliative Care, it runs certificate courses in palliative medicine, nursing and counseling. For more details, please visit http://www.cansupport.org/ or http://www.walkforlifeindia.org/ . You may also call the confidential CanSupport helpline for cancer-related information, referrals and an empathetic listening ear: 011-2671-1212 (Monday-Friday, 9.30am – 5.30pm).
