The humane paradigm of ‘service to mankind’ gets manifested in a plethora of ways, more so in one’s munificent and missionary zeal to serve the poor, needy and the ailing. This apart, the contemporary world scenario seems to be hazardously beset with myriad catastrophic diseases that have not only assumed gargantuan proportions, but have also taken a bulk of the global population into its obnoxious grip. What is even worse is the fatal fact that more and more vulnerable souls are being slowly sucked into the quagmire of disease, decay and gradual death. The menace of cancer, medically referred to as ‘malignant neoplasm’, along with other contemporary catastrophic diseases like HIV/AIDS, diabetes, heart diseases, hepatitis, tuberculosis, malaria, diarrhea and a few others seem to have brazenly ruled the roost without any concrete corrective steps to halt their fatal march towards gobbling up the entire global population.

Cancer globally remains the focal cause of death in both men and women. The menace of cancer is alarmingly on the rise, if one goes by the scary statistics released by The Lancet Oncology, a monthly international journal with original research articles, reviews, commentaries, editorials, viewpoints and news in clinical oncology. Cancer currently kills 135,000 people a year, compared to 110,000 deaths from heart disease. Scientists predict that by the year 2020, there will be 15 million new cases of cancer worldwide each year and 10 million deaths.It is likely that by the year 2020, some 60% of new cases of cancer will occur in developing countries. According to the American Cancer Society, globally, 7.6 million people died from cancer in the year 2007.   

The immediate need of the hour therefore is to make an all – out, concerted, methodical, pro – active and sincere effort in tackling this gory menace at its very roots and in the process, put a halt to the spreading of it deadly tentacles of suffering, decay and death. It is here that the role played by civil society, especially socio – conscious and selfless organisations including committed Non – Governmental Organisations (NGOs) become all the more indispensable. It is here that selfless and conscious NGOs have a great responsibility in creating awareness and educating people about cancer prevention, in organising a systematic campaign against tobacco usage and in providing dedicated cancer screening and early detection services.

Deepsikha Cancer Care Foundation, a Non – Governmental Organisation (NGO), comes across as a whiff of fresh air for the myriad suffering souls from the entire North East, who have to bear, not only the ignominy of social stigma attached with cancer, but also endure the profuse physical pain and suffering that cancer as a disease brings along with it. Deepsikha, although officially set in motion as a registered NGO in July, 2007, under the Indian Trust Act, 1961, had already started its yeoman’s service from Mumbai since July 2004 by providing that much needed helping hand to the plethora of cancer patients that landed in Mumbai for treatment at the Tata Memorial Hospital on a regular basis. Since then, there has been no looking back and Deepsikha, with its dedicated posse of selfless workers, has hitherto taken up the noble initiative of providing care in whatever way possible and try to bring back the lost smile and glow in the faces of those hapless sufferers of this deadly disease.

Deepsikha’s humane endeavour of providing care and support to cancer patients, as has already been mentioned, had started much earlier at Mumbai. A large number of cancer patients from the entire North East region had landed in Mumbai, who were grossly oblivious of the fact that not only would they find it difficult to get accommodation, but also, from a strictly medical point of view, they would have had to arrange the much needed life – saving blood and platelets, and that too, with very short notice. It is here that Deepsikha instantly steps in like an angel.Activities in Mumbai:

1. Receiving cancer patients at the railway station / airport and transporting them to a suitable accommodation, keeping in view their financial status.
2.  Helping the patients in the process of registration in the hospitals (mostly Tata Memorial or Aly Khan) and guiding them during the initial days of their investigation.
3. Providing physical support in case of operation.
4. Organising blood for cancer patients as and when required.
5. Procuring financial assistance for poor cancer patients.
6. Helping in the transport of the deceased to their homes.
7. Liaison with specialists on behalf of patients who can not go to Mumbai.
8. Procuring medicines at concessional rates.
9. Helping patients with railway reservation in accordance with their concession forms.
10. Arranging treatment in other specialty hospitals besides Tata Memorial Hospital.
11. Deepsikha has been organising several concerts to entertain and emotionally strengthen the patients in Mumbai, with renowned artists from Assam.
12. Deepsikha has adopted a number of patients and has shouldered the responsibility of complete treatment and rehabilitation of these patients. 

1. Offering help in registration and in meeting the respective doctors in the OPD.
2. Guiding and helping the patients below the poverty line to obtain financial assistance from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund through its help desk at BBCI.
3. Guiding the poor patients with the procedural details to obtain free treatment at BBCI.
4. Organising blood for cancer patients undergoing operations as and when required.
5. Guiding the cancer patients and their families to find suitable accommodation of their choice in the proximity of BBCI.
6. Arranging ambulance services as and when required.
7. roviding financial assistance to the poor cancer patients whenever possible.
8. Providing unconditional love and psychological support to patients and their relatives in making them believe that they are not alone in their fight against this deadly disease.

All this is done absolute voluntarily and is completely free of cost.

Awareness Camps:

Till date, Deepsikha has organised more than 50 awareness camps throughout Assam. These have been organised wit the help of the district administration, doctors from BBCI and many volunteers, often artists of repute, of the likes of Late Nupur Bordoloi, Kumar Bhabesh and Mridul Kalita have helped Deepsikha in their noble endeavour. Street shows have been staged in remote villages, pamphlets and other materials (printed in Assamese) have been distributed and awareness talks have been given by experts manners easily understood by the illiterate and partly educated masses.

No Tobacco Day:

Deepsikha also celebrated the No Tobacco Day on the 31st of May, 2008 by distributing handbills and pamphlets to thousands of people, putting up posters in the schools and colleges of the city as well as several hospitals, thus reaching out to a large section of the people.

Screening Camps:

More than 15 screening camps have been organised by Deepsikha in different districts of Assam since 2006 till date where about 200 to 300 people have been screened per camp. Several people suffering from cancer were detected and appropriate advice and support was rendered to them.Deepsikha plans to have better – planned and better equipped future screening camps n each district of Assam with its own mobile units and trained personnel, as well as volunteers including experts in the field of cancer.

Saikh Md Sabha Al - Ahmed