MUMBAI: NGO Cherish Life India Foundation is back with its annual fundraiser to support the treatment of cancer-afflicted children at the civic-run Sion Hospital.
Musicians Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy will perform for the cause at the NSCI’s SVP Stadium in Worli on March 22.
Cherish Life, founded by Blanche Saldanha in 2013, is a non-profit that works towards the treatment of poor children with cancer and other blood disorders. It has partnered with Sion Hospital to develop a special 20-bedded paediatric-haematology-oncology ward, where the first successful bone marrow transplant was carried out in September 2015 at half the cost of a private centre. Since then, nearly 20 children have undergone the life-saving procedure. In a private facility, the cost of a bone marrow transplant could go up to Rs 20 lakh-25 lakh.
“Sion hospital was the first municipal hospital in the city to offer the expensive procedure. The foundation pays for the treatment of the children, maintenance of the ward and also takes on the cost of special personnel—like a consultant, phlebotomist and social worker,” said Saldanha. She added that many children have emerged from the ward to start a new life but there are many more waiting in line.
“We plan to extend our scope to other parts of Maharashtra and reach out to more children,” she said. The donor passes, costing Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000, can be purchased on BookMyShow.
