Medi AID Campaign for “Cancer Support and Care-UK and Gujarat-India” - Mediaid Foundation

Introduction:

“When my life is measured in months, weeks, days, hours, I want to live close to my loved one, I want to give and get as much love as I can, I want to live every second to its fullest, I want to live free of pain and misery, I don’t want to die on my own. Please give me your hand to hold, please give me your support and please help my family to understand what is going on…….Waiting for a miracle!!! (a Cancer Patient’s Appeal).

It all started when the founder members of MAF happened to accompany one of their relatives, a cancer patient for treatment. The plight of hundreds of cancer patients struggling with the same disease shook them and moved them so much that they firmly decided to do something and to make a difference in their lives, even if only a smile and hope.

Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. Lung, stomach, liver, colon and breast cancer cause the most cancer deaths each year. About 30% of cancer deaths are due to the five leading behaviour and dietary risks: high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of physical activities, tobacco use, and alcohol use.

More than 70% of all cancer deaths occur in low and middle income countries.  Deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to continue rising, particularly among the low and middle income families.

Background:

India has a population of about 1 billion, which corresponds to 16.5% of the world population. India is a vast rural panorama with more than 70% of the population living in villages in rural areas. Cancer statistics suggest that cancers frequently observed in India are lifestyle dependent. Population growth, illiteracy, high use of tobacco, alcohol use, low socio-economic conditions, and lack of healthcare accessibility ensure that most people are unaware of the risk factors and by the time they realise it, it is often too late. Due to its cultural-socio-economic framework for cancer control in countries like India, there is a need for public awareness and health education on the subject.

Along with early diagnosis and effective treatment, what we need to do in the coming decades is health education, dissemination of accurate information and public awareness. Education about lifestyle and diet, education about symptomatology of early cancer, education about the screening programme, education about early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. In essence, we believe that NO Cancer control effort can be mounted without education at all levels – public and professionals.

The need of the coming decades is not huge, comprehensive cancer centres, but small community cancer centres, which are cost effective and can manage most cancer patients in their own environment. It’s about forming partnerships and sharing resources for cancer patients.

Values:

• Respect and recognise each individual, regardless of religion, race, age, sex, socio-economic-political status and age
• Respect confidentiality at all levels
• Recognise the importance of the family as the unit of care and support
• Empowerment to live with dignity, and honour

Vision and Mission:

• We are dedicated to providing support and care to cancer patients and their loved ones. Provide love, hope and dignity, they need to fight for recovery and maintain quality of life
• Providing counselling and emotional support
• Nutrition programme
• Education and Awareness Campaigns
• Financial support for treatment and medicines
• Income generating activities for the families of the cancer patients, especially to widows
• To arrange financial help for the education of children of cancer patients

How you can help us to bring a smile back for cancer affected people:

• Meet Surgery expenses
• Meet medicines and other medical expenses
• Sponsor food for cancer patients and families
• Sponsor income generating activities
• Sponsor children for education or an adult for job oriented trainings
• One time donation for self-employment such as setting up shop, funds for purchase of auto-rickshaws, setting up handcrafts workshops, sewing machines, shops, help to purchase a goat or a buffalo to set up a milk business.
• Cancer Awareness Campaigns, seminars and conferences, including appropriate resources
  Collective Approach:MAF UK is working with the cancer support organisations here in the UK as well as in Gujarat-India. We are advocating issues of Cancer at all levels so that we can collectively make a difference and minimise the impact of cancer in our society. Your donation will be utilised in the UK and in India.

  Donation options:

  Medical Care of a cancer child with a widow for one year                                £500

  Sponsor or support a cancer child for one year                                                    £350

  Income generation activities for training or for self employment                  £500 (one off payment)

  Cancer Awareness Campaigns for one year

  (seminars, six sessions-workshops, organise cancer support groups,

  mobile library, resources in community languages)                                           £150

  MAF thanks all our donors who are supporting this worthy cause in the form of cash, time, moral support and with their prayers. THANK YOU! “Hold their hands and walk with them”