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Cancer Fund Saves 176 Children's Lives
19 Dec
Summary
- A philanthropic fund has saved 176 children with blood cancer.
- The fund registered 272 children for multi-stage, long-term treatment.
- A private bank contributed ₹5.25 crore through CSR initiatives.
A vital philanthropic fund established a decade ago has significantly impacted childhood cancer treatment. The "Donate a Life" initiative at Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital has provided essential multi-stage treatment, lasting one to two years, for 272 children diagnosed with blood cancer. As of December 18, 2025, this program has successfully saved 176 young lives, with 168 children fully cured and eight others showing encouraging progress under current care.
The program, initiated in August 2014, addresses the critical need for extended medical care, which can cost up to ₹5 lakh per child. Many families faced financial barriers, but contributions from philanthropists, trusts, donors, and corporations, including ₹5.25 crore from a private bank's CSR fund over five years, have made this possible. The focus is on curable cancers like acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, acute promyelocytic leukaemia, and Hodgkin's lymphoma, in children under 14.
Hospital director Dr. S.G. Kabra emphasized the ethical imperative of treating curable cancers, stating it is a child's entitlement and unacceptable to let poverty dictate survival. The fund covers all treatment costs, including medicines and investigations, enabling children like 16-year-old Alveera and 20-year-old Divyansh Agarwal to lead normal, productive lives post-treatment, becoming assets to society.
