JOIN USCity doctors run to power cancer awareness
Coming together for a common cause to create awareness about childhood cancer, over 1,0 1,000 doctors, survivors and supporters participated in a five kilometer run.
The run was flagged off by Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Professor M C Mishra along with Poonam Bagai, founder Cankids – the National Society forchildhood Cancer and Blossom Kochchar.
“In a busy institution like ours it is usually the patients who run for doctors. This would be the first time when the doctors ran for the patients,” excitedly said Shashank Pooniya, general secretary, Resident Doctors of AIIMS (RDA).
More than 500 children suffering with cancer and their families visited Rashrapati Bhavan for a fun-filled outing, hosted by New Delhi Municipal Council. The Children came from both the government and private hospital –AIIMS, Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, RP Center, Kalawati Saran Children Hospital, Apollo, Max, Medanta, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre and Shroff Eye Hospital.
“We want to give a petition to the President with reasons mentioning as to why childhood cancer should be considered a health priority in India. The most important being childhood cancer cure rates are 70 to 95 per cent. Therefore, the high mortality rate in our country, which is 50 to 70 per cent can be brought down,” said Poonam Bagai.
Bagai, a colon cancer survivor herself, is a board member of Childhood Cancer International. She explained, "The campaign is a local and global call for kids with cancer.
It urges governments as well as international development organisations and its various agencies, to work together with parents and survivor groups, non‐government organizations, civil society organisations like medical practitioners, health workers, academia, faith-based organisations, private sector and business groups, to make childhood cancer a public health priority."
The ICCD event occurs annually on February 15, under the auspices of Childhood Cancer International, formerly, International Childhood Cancer Parents’ Organizations (ICCPCO) of which CanKids is a leading member. “Such a celebration creates an excellent means to raise awareness that childhood cancer is curable if diagnosed early enough and treated at a proper cancer centre.
It is an important opportunity to raise funds in support of affected children and families. But most importantly it honours the bravery and courage of children and their families battling the worst of diseases,” she said.