A few years back, I had set up the portal CancerAssist.in which was intended to be a one-stop assistance resource for cancer patients and their families as well as everyone who is concerned with cancer. This resource has served the targeted Indians well, as evidenced by the large number of unique visitors accessing that portal every month.
I have been greatly concerned with the sheer size of new cancer cases and deaths in India, which are estimated to have reached the figures of 14 lakh and 8 lakh respectively, in the year 2022. Many of these deaths could have been prevented if the cancer was detected in time, by screening or by symptoms monitoring.
So, the key lies in generating awareness among people about cancer detection and getting them to undergo screening. Organisations and NGOs like Indian Cancer Society offer screening services at their centres and also conduct screening camps in towns and villages. Hospitals too have been conducting screening in-house and in the vicinity of their locations. Dedicated NGOs work in rural areas where need for screening is great and awareness about cancer is lacking.
I felt that information on screening should be accessible instantly at one place and thus was born the idea for ‘Cancer Screening for Early Diagnosis’ campaign and this website. Thanks to the co-operation of Indian Cancer Society and other NGOs, I am confident that the campaign will be a resounding success!
Jerome Quadros
Founder