"Isn't the mehndi beautiful?" Three-year-old Akhila clutched the water bottle close to her chest and giggled. She opened and closed her little palms and giggled again as she showed off her hennaed hands and asked, "Isn't the mehndi beautiful?"

It was a different story seven months ago It was a different story seven months ago. Akhila was diagnosed with Blood Cancer. Akhila’s mother, Selvi, was told that the treatment would cost her Rs 80,000 to Rs 100,000. Selvi had no idea where she and her husband, a fruit seller, could get that much money.

The doctors advised her to go to Chennai and get Akhila treated at the Adyar Cancer Institute where poor patients are given free treatment.

"I have been staying here with my daughter for the last seven months. If not for this hospital, I do not know how I would have treated my daughter," says Akhila’s mother, Selvi, with tears in her eyes.

After several courses of chemotherapy, Akhila is once again her usual self; giggling and playing.

Scope of Presentation About Cancer & Cancer in India Cancer Institute - An overview Need to Augment Resources Iruvadhu Varai Iruvadhu How can you help?

About Cancer Cancer is curable (if caught early) Cancer is NOT contagious Cancer can affect people irrespective of their socio-economic class

Cancer in India

Cancer Institute – An overview Was set up in 1954 by Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy, the first woman in India to graduate in medicine Registers over 15000 cases every year State-of-the-art medical institution with the latest of equipment for cancer diagnosis and treatment

Outlook Survey of Best Hospitals in India Source: Outlook Magazine July 1, 2003 issue

Need to Augment Resources The Institute is a non-government, non-profit charitable organization Over 60% of the patients are treated free of charge Annual expenditure on hospital alone, Rs. 20 crore

FUTURE PLANS Build new ICU block Expand rehabilitation services Computerise medical records Install more equipment Build new pediatric oncology wing Establish a Hospice Expand dharmshala Conduct more community medicine programmes Expand rehabilitation services Establish a prosthesis center

“It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little. Do what you can.” - Sydney Smith

A Peoples' Movement to Help Fight Cancer

In Aid of Organised by

Iruvadhu Varai Iruvadhu Rationale: Focus on the mass public for raising Rs. 20 crore Works on the premise of many small individual contributions adding up to a large donation Corporate support tapped for logistical and distributional requirements

Iruvadhu Varai Iruvadhu Contributions: For most of the public Rs. 20 would be a small amount to donate willingly and whole heartedly towards a good cause A donor coupon will be issued with a serial number for every Rs. 20 contributed The simplicity of this mathematics, backed by multi media advertising awareness would generate mass involvement

Iruvadhu Varai Iruvadhu Dispersion of Coupons: The public can buy these coupons in key cities at organized retail outlets and branches of reputed companies and banks

How can you make a difference?

Thank You