Vasantha Memorial Cancer Centre , Ashok Nagar, Chennai

The ambitious project of Vasantha  memorial trust , a 1.2 crore  rupees  charitable  cancer   hospital  Vasantha Memorial Cancer  centre  –  stood  alive  with  the  aid provided by 898 donors and was inaugurated on 27^th Aug 2008 at Ashok Nagar Chennai. Charities & philanthropist further contributed to develop an ICU like facility at the day care ward, equipped the laboratory to the required level, sponsored the treatment of cancer affected and even supported the staff salaries

The local media was generous and word of mouth had created an impact. Patients started to seek in help and soon chemotherapies began. In the initial months many of them wanted a second opinion, some came to explore and some thought it was a palliative care home. The turning point was in Jan 2009 when a newly diagnosed case child with blood cancer and a lady with Breast cancer were started with treatment. Then on it was steady progress and both the poor and middle class people with various cancers & blood diseases started coming here for definitive treatment

Another landmark year was 2014. This year persons who were hitherto patients with us emerged as Cancer victors and stood with happiness & pride at the Cancer victors day celebrations. It was a great moment for us! The success of treatment at our centre was now proven! In the coming years the numbers have swelled      and victors emerged from here are a sizeable chunk at this function today.

Till date this hospital has seen a turnover of 10,000 patients and the new cases taken up of treatment is 1540.

What makes us happy is that every patient who has sought our help has been taken care of well. The treatment is at par with any other cancer centre in the world. The staff here is highly trained. 80% of patients get free treatment. The rest get a host of concessions, 20% off on medicines, highly discounted surgeries & radiotherapy.

The Nalam aayiram scheme gives one month’s treatment of patients affected by Chronic Myeloid leukemia , a blood cancer at Rs.1000/ per month irrespective of financial status .Thousand plus FREE mammograms have been made available to deserving women . Free Pap Smear camps have been held periodically. And several other essential tests for the treatment of cancers, including PET scan have been provided with heavy discounts or free

Looking back at our work over the decade, this small centre has made a change to a small number of people but the difference it has made to their lives is very big. .In the decade that comes next we hope to be much stronger, make bigger differences, rope in more people both lay and medical and strive to make tomorrow cancer free.