Mumbai, June 04: Creating records on the cricket pitch is no big deal for the Master Blaster. But this time, Sachin Tendulkar managed to create a record off the pitch.
Less than a month after he joined social networking site, Twitter, and raked up over two lakh followers, a tweet by Sachin Tendulkar has managed to raise a whopping rupees 130 lakh for Crusade Against Cancer Foundation.
The funds collected will now be used for the foundation’s project, Sachin’s Crusade Against Cancer in Children, which aims at treating kids from the low-income group from across India who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Dr P Jagannath, head of department, surgical oncology at Lilavati Hospital, Bandra, couldn’t stop smiling. “Sachin tweeted once a few weeks ago, and overnight, lakhs came in donations. This is the largest fund-raising event by a single individual for a cause,” said Dr Jagannath, who founded the organisation.
An expert panel comprising doctors from across the country will assess the medical and the financial needs and offer both the treatment as well as drugs. The target is to cure 100 children with cancer, said Dr Jagannath.
According to oncologists,lack of awareness results in late diagnosis while expenditure and lack of healthcare results in several of the diagnosed children losing the battle.
“Nearly 70 to 80% of childhood cancer is curable. But the limiting factor is the expensive treatment, as we need about Rs1 lakh to treat each child,” said Dr Jagannath.
On May 27, Sachin and wife Dr Anjali Tendulkar, a paediatrician, hosted a special dinner for high-profile donors. “Every child is precious and bringing a smile back to the child and lighting a new life is the most satisfying thing one can dream of,” said Tendulkar.
–Agencies–