Press/ Media Invitation

ON the occasion of the 11th International Childhood Cancer Day, Join smiling faces of children faced cancer and their families. With a special message that when detected in time and treated appropriately at a cancer treatment centre - childhood cancer is curable.

On: Saturday, March 24, at 9:30am,

We welcome to Delhi

The Cycling 4 Change team of 4

Cycling Challenge from Gateway of India to India Gate

09.30 am: Flag in at India Gate and welcome of the cyclists by our children with cancer and their families

10.00 – 12.00 pm:  all the children with their families, cyclists and volunteers from Magic Bus and CanKids staff will move to Children’s Park for a big Picnic.

Cycling 4 Change – Gateway of India to India gate!

Mumbai - Delhi: 21 days of cycling.1, 940kms. 4 Cyclists. 4 States. ‘4’ change!

Four cycling enthusiasts from different walks of life have already took a 21-day cycling expedition to raise money for children from underprivileged backgrounds. The expedition, from Mumbai’s Gateway of India to New Delhi’s India Gate, is in support of two non-profit organizations, Magic Bus and CanKids.

The Cyclists

·         Ranjul Goswami, 43, is a city-based financial consultant

·         Bertram Fonseca, 31, is an IT professional who loves touring on the cycle

·         Mallikarjun Singh, 28, is an IIT graduate, who works as an adventure professional

·         Anil Uchil, 41, is a ‘cycle to work’ enthusiast and a corporate communications professional

They will cycle 1,940kms from the Gateway of India, Mumbai to India Gate, New Delhi. Online pledges and donations for Cycling 4 Change have already raised over 5 lakhs for the two non-profits.

Magic Bus, our partner NGO will do activities with children

We are also very happy to inform you about our 37-day long celebration of the 11th International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD), across over 30 Pediatric cancer units and 14 cities, starting from the Mumbai city on 11thFebruary at Sophia College with a One day celebration and ending at Delhi on 24thMarch with a Cycling challenge started from the Gateway of India to India Gate wheeling into the capital.

“Childhood cancer globally receives little attention from researchers and health authorities. Prevention of childhood cancer is not possible in almost all cases, and the many global cancer programmes aimed at prevention, are largely unrelated and irrelevant to childhood cancers.  For this reason it is important that the focus be on early diagnosis, early detection, support of affected children and improved treatment – especially in the developing world which accounts for 80% of the global incidence of childhood cancer.” says Benson Pau chairperson of ICCCPO.

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CanKids...KidsCan, Unit of Indian Cancer Society, Delhi Branch, has supported over 6000 children since its inception in 2004. “When worldwide 70-95%children can be cured of cancer, in our country too 70-95% must survive the disease. Equally no child should suffer without treatment for lack of finance.

Worldwide, there is a 70-95% cure rate for childhood cancers.  Yet, in our country, where every year there are 40-50,000 new cases of childhood cancer (20% of the world incidence), 70-80% children still die of the disease due to lack of information and awareness, inadequate treatment facilities and importantly, the prohibitively expensive cost of treatment and the absence of supportive care.

As a family support group for children with cancer and their families that works across India to provide the entire spectrum of support from moment of diagnosis through treatment and after into survivorship on the one hand and terminal care and bereavement support on the other, Cankids…KidsCan, Unit of Indian Cancer Society, Delhi Branch, has supported over 6000 children since its inception in 2004.  “When worldwide 70-95% children can be cured of cancer, in our country too 70-95% must survive the disease. Equally no child should suffer without treatment for lack of finance,” says Poonam Bagai, Founder President, herself a cancer survivor and Global Cancer Ambassador India in 2011.

We invite you to be a part of the celebrations in Delhi at India Gate

Please contact the ICCD Secretariat of CanKids for further information if you wish to help us in our cause.

Official Spokesperson:  Poonam Bagai, Founder President,
Mobile: 9811525745; poonambagai@cankidsindia.org