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Yoddhas CSR Event 5
Yoddhas CSR Event 5
"PRERNA"
YUVRAJ SINGH
Cricketing legend and cancer survivor Yuvraj Singh urged cancer patients to keep fighting
and to be inspired on World Cancer Day 2022.
He said, "Having experienced cancer myself, I know how painful this journey is. No matter
how difficult it gets, don't give up. I kept myself motivated all through fighting this deadly
disease. Look forward to the beautiful life that is waiting for you on the other side, so you
HAVE TO win this battle."
Soon after leading India to a historic series victory, Yuvraj Singh, the 2011 ICC Cricket
World Cup's Player of the Tournament, received a diagnosis of seminoma lung cancer. He
returned to India after three lengthy chemotherapy treatments in the US, put on the Indian
jersey once more, and retired from international cricket in 2017.
Recalling the day when she got to know about her son's illness, Yuvraj's mother Mrs
Shabnam Singh said, "I was on my way to the Gurudwara to pray for my son before getting
his biopsy report when I got a call confirming that it was cancer. I went to the Gurudwara
almost in a trance and sat there in a numb state for a long time. It gradually sunk in but it took
a long time for me to come to terms with the fact."
Regarding the tough time they had during the treatment process, she said, "The doctor told us
that the treatment was going to be very difficult but that Yuvraj would be cured and that he
would be able to start playing again after six weeks of therapy. It was wonderful to hear the
doctor say that and I clung onto that piece of news. We had also read Lance Armstrong's
book where he had mentioned that the treatment was very harsh, it would make you
miserable and you would start crying for no reason. So, when I saw Yuvraj crying, I would
only think that the medicine was working rather than thinking why my son was crying."
Expressing his admiration for his mother and for all the caregivers of cancer patients, Yuvraj
said, "Whenever my pain became unbearable during the treatment, my mother was there as a
pillar of strength. Not for a moment did she give up hope for my complete recovery and that
gave me the willpower to fight cancer. So, I strongly believe that caregivers are a strong
source of support during the treatment process. I salute them for their unbelievable strength
and perseverance during their loved one's long and tedious journey towards recovery."
Shabnam Singh added, "If the caregiver gets emotional and starts crying in front of the
patient, then the patient also gets weak. I would panic sometimes, especially once when he
fainted in my arms, but I never cried in front of him. In fact, whenever he cried, I just held
him and said you are going to be fine. If I had also gone weak, how could I have given the
strength to my son to fight the disease? To give strength to the cancer patient and to motivate
them is the role of the caregiver. Halfway through his treatment, Yuvraj knew that he could
either cry about it or be strong about it. He decided to be strong and that's how he came out of
it."
Yuvraj Singh and his mother established the YouWeCan Foundation in 2012 as a non-profit
organisation to empower all people to fight cancer through cancer screening programmes,
cancer awareness campaigns, the YouWeCan Cancer Treatment Fund, and the YWC
Scholarship for Cancer Survivors. This was done after they both personally overcame cancer.
The Foundation has screened 1,50,000 people for various cancers, 1,25,000 students have
participated in anti-tobacco courses, 30,000 women have learned how to perform a self-breast
exam, and 24,000 men have received cigarette cessation counselling. 150 students who have
survived cancer have also received help through the YouWeCan Scholarship.
Together with the SBI Foundation and the Goa Government, YouWeCan Foundation
launched the "Swasth Mahila, Swasth Goa" programme in October 2021. In Goa, free breast
cancer screenings will be provided to 1 lakh women as part of this effort, guaranteeing that
50% of the state's eligible female population would be screened.
Regarding the work being done by his Foundation, Yuvraj Singh said, "We started the
YouWeCan Foundation with the aim of eradicating the stigma around cancer, creating
awareness about the need for early detection as well as supporting underprivileged cancer
patients during and after their treatment. Today, on World Cancer Day, I once again take the
pledge to do my best to support patients from low-income households in their fight against
cancer through the various programmes of our Foundation."
Let's Talk Cancer was an awareness event hosted in honour of World Cancer Day 2022 by
the YouWeCan Foundation and Police Families Welfare Society (PFWS) that debunked
common misconceptions about cancer and offered advice on healthy habits and lifestyle
choices. The session's goal was to start a dialogue about cancer and provide individuals the
tools they need to fight it. Poonam Nanda, a mentor and founding member of the YouWeCan
Foundation, organised the virtual event, which had about 800 participants. Sangeeta Gupta, a
cervical cancer survivor, and Dr. Anshuman Kumar, director and chief surgeon at
Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital in Delhi, served as the panellists for the
discussion. There was also contact with cancer survivors during the session. On this occasion,
the YouWeCan Foundation also hosted a Facebook Live quiz on cancer and holistic health, in
which five business teams took part: Eka Software, SignEasy, LifeSchool, Digital Emporiom,
Aanya Wellness, and Squareyards.