Media Release

Udupi, Feb 26: Childhood cancers are highly curable provided they are treated at the right time with right treatment by the right team. To ensure that treatment is not interrupted, Save Life charitable trust founded by Arjun Bhandarkar and One Good Step foundation founded by Amitha Pai have been relentlessly working towards providing financial assistance to children coming to Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal and were the guest of honor for the programme. To appreciate the selfless efforts by them, felicitation program was conducted during the International Childhood Cancer day celebration which was observed on February 24, 2022.

Dr Vasudeva Bhat K, In charge Head of the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, in his overview said, “A lot of stakeholders have to join hands towards achieving maximal cure rates in children with cancer in holistic approach with NGO’s being a big part of it”. Dr. Sharath Kumar Rao, Dean KMC, Manipal was the chief guest for the programme added that “There are only very few centers in India which provide holistic support to children with cancer like ours and informed about the upcoming accommodation facility at no charge for children and their caregivers.”

Dr Avinash Shetty, Medical Superintendent and and Dr P Suba Sooria, Head Nursing Services, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal were present during the felicitation programme and appreciated the efforts put forward by these two foundations. The felicitation was followed by entertainment programme with drawing competition, reels competition for children and their caregivers and poster competition for the nurses. Dr Archana M V and Dr Vinay M V, assistant professor in Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology gave the Welcome address and introduced the guest of honor respectively. Dr Chandana Pai, Fellow in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology was the master of ceremony for the programme.