5) Description of health product/service offering: We want to address the issue of cancer. Our primary beneficiaries will be low-middle class. The idea is to educate them about cancer, early detection and if,need be, help those detected with cancer towards their treatment. Since we do not have health insurance or medical reimbursement for everybody, people do not participate in educational or detection programs as they feel they would not be able to treat themselves, because of lack of funds. So this proposal that we will help them in treatment, if they are diagnosed with cancer, will motivate them to come forward for educating themselves and going for health check ups.

6) Description of innovation: As far as we are aware, most early detection programs end at diagnosis. What we propose to do is help them with follow up treatment, if required, so that they are motivated to come for the check ups.

7) Operational model: We work for cancer patients as an emotional support group. Besides giving them hope and encouragement to fight for recovery and maintain the quality of their lives, we also provide practical and financial assistance and spread awareness of prevention and early detection. This is done through the donations received from various people.

8) Human resources: The team of people at present is a group of around 40 volunteers, working on honorary basis. Most of them are recovered cancer patients or have been care givers to cancer patients.

9) Key operational partnerships: N.A.

10) Financial Sustainability

          • Fees charged to clients?: No

          • How do you assure affordability?: N.A.

          • Earned incomes as a percentage of operating costs: -

          • Other funding sources: It is financially sustainable. From donations received from corporates and individuals.

          • Strategy for long-term sustainability: We are trying to build a corpus, the interest of which will be used towards the financial sustainability of our programs.

11) Current and Future Impact

          • Total number of clients: 500 per yr

          • Clients in the past year: 650

          • Percentage of low-income clients: 80

          • Impact: People who have interacted with us have felt that their emotional stress has been taken care of and if they needed the funds, they have been given the finance and directions in accumulating further funds. The families of the patients have participated in early detection programs. The hospital has been sensitised to the problems of the patients.

          • Overall "market": About 70% of the population of Mumbai would be benefited and if the same program can be replicated in the other regions in India, it will have a major impact on the health of its people.

12) Scaling up strategy

          • Stage of the initiative: Mature stage.

          • Expansion plan: We wish to provide clean, hygienic surroundings, nutritious food and freedom from financial and other constraints to all our patients.

13) Policy change: More stress on health and education.

14) Origin of the initiative: This initiative was started as a result of Ms. Vandana Gupta having gone through the experience of having cancer. She had cancer in 1993 and during the treatment realised the hardships that patients were facing. She set up this organisation thereafter in 1994.

Contact Information:
Vandana  Gupta
Ashoka Fellow
Founder Member
V-Care Foundation
(NGO)
132 Maker Tower A, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai 400005
India
Tel: (9122) 2218 8828 Mobile: 98219 49401
Email: vcare24@gmail.com