CanKids...KidsCan

Feb 11th, 2019      Vol-12

Mumbai: Feb 11th, 2019

Ahead of the 18th International Childhood Cancer Day ICCD on Feb 15th, CanKids is delighted to have signed an MOU with the Public Health Department and Medical Education and Drug Department, as their knowledge and technical partner for Childhood Cancer in Maharashtra on 11^th February 2019.

The MoU exchange ceremony was part of Maharashtra Government’s ‘Maha Parivartan- Partners in Development’ Initiative. 2 separate MOUs were exchanged by Mukul Marwah, Vice Chairman &Regional Director West, Cankids with Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, Secretary MEDD and Dr Anup Kumar Yadav, Commissioner (Health Services) and Director National Health Services in the presence of Hon Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Mr Pravin Pardeshi, ACS to Chief Minister, Mr Girish Mahajan, Hon. Minister Medical Education and Water Resources, Prof. Ram Shankar Shinde, Hon. Minister Water Resources.

This is the 2nd State level MOU that Cankids has signed after the one signed with Punjab Govt in 2017. Cankids will work with Medical Education department and the Pediatric Hematology Oncology chapter of IAP to strengthen Childhood Cancer treatment care and support services at cancer centers, developing pediatric cancer centers of excellence, better protocols and management guidelines and quality drugs. It will work with the State’s National Health Mission -NHM to drive Access to care and referral pathways and for resource directories, Helpline’s, information and public awareness as well as to build capacities of health care professionals at primary and district levels to detect, refer and manage shared care and with the Health Department for ease of access to welfare and insurance schemes including the just launched Ayushmann Bharat.

"I am very grateful to the Government of Maharashtra for having signed the MoU with CanKids for Childhood Cancer. The PHO Chapter of IAP has always striven towards the goal of Every Child Matters and, it is our vision to reach out to every child with cancer. Childhood Cancer is curable and therefore, it's even more important that each and every child has access to quality care and affordable treatment close to their place of residence. I am sure this valuable MoU will ensure this for every child who needs it and fully deserves it! Childhood cancers are on the rise and we all as the PHO fraternity come together and unitedly wipe this menace from the face of the earth by giving it a tough fight with the combined resources of the government as well as the NGOs such as CanKids. CanKids has a track record of hugely supporting the cause of childhood cancer and together we will achieve our goals of Quality Care and Affordable Care for Every Child with Cancer! No child should die because of want of facilities, expertise and/or money! A great step has indeed been taken in the state of Maharashtra for others to emulate soon!"

International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is celebrated around the world each year on February 15th. Originally commemorated in 2002, ICCD is a day founded by Childhood Cancer International (CCI), a global network of 171-member organizations in 88 countries. The global theme for ICCD 2018 is ‘No more Pain, No more Loss’ for children with cancer and their families.

On September 28th, 2018 at the United Nations General Assembly, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced its new global initiative to address the disparity between childhood cancer survivals in low-middle countries and that of high-income countries. Each year, more than 300,000 children    (0 to 19 years) are diagnosed with cancer around the world. Approximately 8 in 10 of these children live in low and middle-income countries where their survival rate is often near to 20%. This is in stark contrast to high-income countries, where cure rates exceed 80% for many common childhood cancers.
The Target Goal of the WHO Global Childhood Cancer Initiative is to eliminate all pain and suffering of children fighting cancer and achieve at least 60% survival for all children diagnosed with cancer around the world by 2030.

Across 59 cancer centers where Cankids works through its Hospital Support Unit partnerships, children are decorating their Golden Ring of Hope with Gold ribbons and participating in Creative Manch to “Say no to Pain”.  Families are signing the ”Say No to Pain” Charter, and which they are giving to their Institutional Heads.  Cankids is partnering with many cancer centers and NGOs to create special awareness programs over the next 6 weeks.

You can pledge your support too at www.cankidsindia.Saynotopain , get Calendar updates and participate in ICCD at a Center near you b or simply download the ICCD toolkit by visiting  www,cankidsindia.org 

Vice Chairman and Cankids regional Director Mr. Mukul Marwah informed, “Since April 2018 our Team has mapped the State extensively identifying 55 centres who may be treating kids with cancer. Our feasibility studies have led to the decision to partner with and strengthen delivery of childhood cancer care at 24 of these centres over the next 5 years. We also aim to work with other  partners and state players like Tata Trsut and Tata Hospitals.  We are grateful  for the support of our CSR  and other donor partners to Change for Childhood Cancer in Maharashtra, key among whom are MahaTransco, Bajaj FinServ, Duetsche Bank, and SBI Life. 

The incidence of childhood cancer in Maharashtra is 6317 each year as per the Geneva based IARC. This makes it the 3^rd highest State after Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, accounting for 8.2% of the total incidence in India.”

Added Cankids Chairman, Poonam Bagai, “Our studies indicate that 3800-4000 children with cancer are being treated at cancer centers in Maharashtra, the largest number being at Tata Memorial Hospital.  But TMC treats as much as 70% children from outside Maharashtra. So we estimate that 35-40% children of Maharashtra with cancer are not getting diagnosed or treated.  Access to right centres, early detection and awareness of childhood cancer has positive impact on the overall war against cancer that all Governments and Civil society must focus on."

"The MOU is about Partnerships. It is only when the government, civil society and NGOs like Cankids, doctors and health professionals of Public and private sectors, parents and survivors groups & CSR partners come together and work together that we will be able to provide the best treatment care and support for Children with cancer and their families in Punjab. 

Cankids launched Change for CHildhood Cancer in Maharashtra in April 2018. 

In September- Childhood Cancer Awareness month, Maharashtra went Gold.– the color of childhood cancer. Go Gold Maharastra saw Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai (CSMT) going Gold with Childhood Cancer survivors campaigning for childhood cancer to be a 'Child Health Priority' in Maharashtra. For the 1^st time ever, 3 more historical monuments in Maharashtra went Gold’- Gateway of India, Mumbai, Bibi Ka Makbara, Aurangabad and Shaniwar Wada, Pune during the Cankids ‘Access to Care’ Car rally  from Sept 26 to October 1^st , which drove 1500 kms across 4 of the 6 divisions of Maharashtra.

The car rally had total 14 cars with 46 participants including 17 Survivors from Mumbai & Delhi, CSR partners, Volunteers, well wishers, Cankids Board members  & employees driving across 4 of the 6 Administrative Divisions of Maharashtra over a total 1400KM. While participants enjoyed Time Distance Speed (TSD) with scavenger hunts and various awareness session en-route, with 4 Hospital based & 7 Community based awareness programs, tying up new partnerships with Hospitals as a Cankids Hospital Support Unit at Govt. Cancer Hosptial, Aurangabad & Bharati Hospital & Research Center at Pune.

The Rally kicked off with Gateway of India being lit up Gold and Sing along with Mr. Kailash Kher on Sept 26th.  A Go Gold Gala and a ceremonial Flag off by celebrity star - Emraan Hasmi (childhood cancer parent) was organised on Sept 27th. The Rally flagged off from Thane on Sept. 28th and drove to Tirumbakehswar and on to Nashik . From Nashik the rally reached Aurangabad via Shirdi. Bibi ka Makbara (Aurangabad) was lit up Gold on Sept 29th , 2018. It travelled from Aurangabad to Barshi through Ahmednagar  and Jamkhed  on Sept 30th and from Barshi to Pune on October 1, 2018. Shaniwar Wada was lit up Gold on Oct 1st 

Of the 17 childhood cancer survivors from KidsCan Konnect (KCK) – Cankids Teenage and Young Adult Childhood Cancer Group, 11 are from Maharastra KCK.  They lead the Go Gold Maharashtra campaign and the rally, collecting pledges of support, pinning gold ribbons, performing street plays, shouting slogans. And actively creating awareness in villages, schools and roadside.  They are beacons of hope and motivation – symbols that ChIldhood Cancer in India is curable and there is meaningful life after cancer.

24 year old Sandeep Yadav, Ewings sarcoma survivor, Care Coordinator Western region and KCK Leadership Team said, “The MOU will ensure that the Government will hear our Voice- the voice of the patient, parent and Survivors.  As a Care Coordinator what it also means to me is that it will enable us to work officially and communicate well with the treating doctors in all Government centers, across Maharashtra, to enable me to get best support for the patients. “

Added 20 year old, Vikas Yadav Retinoblastoma survivor and KCK Western India Chapter Head, “My family went to 40 different hospitals in UP and Mumbai and I had 7 surgeries before we finally reached Tata hospital. Cankids “adopted” me during treatment. With the MOU and working with NHM, with the Resource Directories and Helplines, we will be able to reach a child to the right cancer center faster in early stages, which will ensure higher cure rates.   No family should have to go through what mine did. Our survivor led campaign has 8 Reasons and 8 Demands.  The MOU will fulfill our demands.  I am so happy.”

Contact Us :- communications@cankidsindia.org
Communication Education Public Awareness & Advocacy (CEPAA) Department