Delhi, Mumbai campaign for cancer awareness

New Delhi/Mumbai, Feb 5 (ANI): Observing World Cancer Day today, hundreds of people participated in rallies with an aim to create awareness among general masses through 'Cancer Awareness Campaigns' in New Delhi and Mumbai.

Gursharan Kaur, wife of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh flagged off a cancer awareness rally called 'Walk for Life' along with the politburo member of Communist Party of India (CPI-M), Brinda Karat at Delhi's India Gate on Sunday.

Addressing the participants, Kaur said that she felt obligated to the social groups who came forward for assisting the poor to fight cancer.

"My heart goes out to the poor people who can not afford enough to get the treatment but thanks to so many NGOs like Cancer Board and Cancer Society, that they are doing good work to help the poor also," said Kaur.

The rally was organised by 'Can Support', a pioneer in providing palliative care to the cancer patients and runs the largest home-care programme for them across India.

A large number of people from all walks of life including filmmaker, Mira Nair, Founder and Chairman of Max India, Analjit Singh, Chief Creative Officer of India Today Group, Kalli Purie, former US Ambassador's wife, Jeannie Mulford and many others joined the rally in order to show solidarity for the cause.

Thousands of people are diagnosed with some form of cancer every year and it is an extremely challenging task to save their lives.

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, large number of people including students from various schools participated in 'The Terry Fox' marathon.

"We are running to make every 'Mumbaikar' aware that cancer will be cured one day and the hope should not be lost. We call this 'a marathon of hope'. These children are giving a message to the entire city, to the entire nation and to the entire world that one day we will find a cure for cancer," said Guru Kriplani, Convenor of The Terry Fox of India Committee.

The marathon was organised by the non-governmental organisation, The Terry Fox of India.

The objective of the marathon was to provide all kinds of assistance to the disadvantaged sections who cannot bear the cost of treatment, especially poor women who are suffering from the disease.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, county's apex biomedical research body, cancer is spreading at an alarming rate in India and currently more than 2500 thousands people are suffering from this deadly disease. (ANI)