Mission Cancer Control -India Awareness. Advocacy. Prevention and Early Detection. As a Social Commitment Global Marwari Charitable Foundation Is Working Tirelessly by Providing Entirely Free of Cost, Awareness Seminars, Screening and Free Treatment Advocacy With Government
Authors: Gandhi L. 
Published: September 2018

Background and context: India is leading nation as a technology provider to world's developed countries. But at the same time India is lagging behind in many aspects, like heath services in rural area as well as in semiurban areas. In the absence of proper awareness, nonavailability of basic health services unhygienic living conditions and for many such reasons ratio of death to various illness is very high compare with developed countries. Cancer is the second biggest cause in India after cardiac diseases for death. Deaths due to cancer also has a different reasons and causes. Cancer statistics in India · Estimated number of people living with the disease: around 2.5 million · Every year, new cancer patients registered: over 7 lakh · Cancer-related deaths: 5,56,400 Aim: Considering this facts Global Marwari Charitable Foundation (GMCF-INDIA) decided to run “Mission Cancer Control – India” a mission of awareness, advocacy, prevention and early detection with treatment of poor people diagnosed for cancer. Program/Policy process: The first mobile cancer detection centre was established in the year 2013, which consists facility of mammogram, biopsy, digital X-ray, digital CR, CBC machine, dental chair etc. In India rural area doesn't have basic medical facilities. Facilities for cancer detection is day dream in 75% states in urban areas also. The overcome this and to save the lives of thousands of people, GMCF has started this mission and is successfully running this since last six years. Our mobile detection centre has traveled across 22 states and organized more than 400 special cancer screening camps and screened more than 80,000 people. Outcomes: Result of this screening, detected 1285 cancer patients, who don't know about their diseases. They got timely treatment and most of these could save lives. Major issue we noticed in our mission is that common people, uneducated people still have great fear of word cancer, we organize community wise awareness lectures, to give them confidence and make them prepare for screening. Another issue of concern for nonscreening attitude is poor financial position, we met many people who even can’t afford 1 dollar for screening. What was learned: Though we run our project on 100% charitable basis. So we don't charge single penny for screening. But many still hesitate as they are afraid if found positive for cancer. They cannot afford treatment, this is very serious issue of concern. We assure them for free treatment also if they found positive in tests. During our last six years practical experience we noticed following major concerns of growing cancer deaths in India. 1. Literacy 2. Lack of awareness 3. Daily contact with pesticides and fertilizers for labor, particularly women labor working in farms 4. Poor financial condition 5. Lack of facilities for screening as well as for treatment. 6. Expensive treatment