Friday, November 8, 2013

This month Aadhar has reached a very important milestone. We have now raised and spent more than
 Rs 1 Crore ( till Nov. 30th 2013, Rs.1,03,92252/- to be precise) for the care and treatment of more than  460 child cancer patients. The process of course continues onward. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who have helped in so many ways and helped us to reach this point. The really important thing is that all this funding has come totally from individual donations. We have had no government funding nor any  major help from any other big organization.
I have really learnt how a small amount of money can go a long way.When Aadhar started , it was with the donation of Rs 3000/- only. We were three couples and each couple put in Rs . 1000/-. But slowly and gradually as people came to know about the trust the funds started coming. When we go through a crisis in life suddenly so many new doors open. I really feel that having faced the so called "Emperor of all maladies " (Dr Siddhartha Mukherjee in his book Emperor of All Maladies refers to cancer as such) gave me an insight into so many things. I have written before that I never really suffered any symptoms because of the cancer. It was caught early and treatment was completed in time. I had excellent doctors and friends advising me at all times. My grateful thanks to Dr Vinod Raina who was the oncologist who treated me at AIIMS. My friends and family were my rocks during that crazy time. But having said that, I looked around and realized that there were so many people who did not have that kind of support and help.Standing in the OPD I learnt how lucky I was. I had a good education and good financial support which helped me.That is why I spoke to my friends about the wish to start a group to help people . Not just with kind words, but by helping them get the remedy for the disease. A very special and heartfelt thanks to Radhika and Pradeep Agarwala as also to Rajeev and Rashmi Virmani. I just mentioned my idea to Radhika and it was her push which made us get together and draw up the trust deed. Later on we were joined by Pradeep and Vaijayanti Valsangkar, who are now actively involved in our activities.
After that I have to admit that it has been God's grace. Whenever I used to be going to the hospital thinking I am going to have to refuse the next patient, a donation used to come literally out of the blue.
 The funds have come slowly and gradually. All  that we at Aadhar  have done ,is to do a good job being very honest with all the money and using the funds with a lot of strictness and discretion. All records are well maintained and accounts audited every year. No money is spent on rental expenses for the office since I work from my clinic. At this point we are not paying any salaries, as I am doing the office work myself. Activities are managed by volunteers  That is why we can  use all the donated money only on the activities of Aadhar.
I think if you are sincere about what you are doing , all the good energies in the universe do help and support the activity. Again I would like to thank all the people who have supported Aadhar over the last 15 years and pray that you continue to give it your love and support.