Date:07/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/07/stories/2007060715830300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Crusade against cancer is a tough job

R. Sujatha

But Vasantha Memorial Trust is not giving up Once aware, more people will seek early treatment

IN SESSION: J. Ramanathan of Vasantha Memorial Trust gives a cancer awareness lecture at the Institute of Leather Technology in Chennai on Wednesday. — PHOTO: S.R. RAGHUNATHAN

CHENNAI : In the five months he has been in the city, J. Ramanathan has spoken to hundreds of people, passionately telling them about cancer, its treatment and prevention. He is a household name in schools in Coimbatore where his organisation, Vasantha Memorial Trust, has done extensive work.

Destiny decided what J. Ramanathan would specialise in after a basic degree in medicine. He chose oncology after his mother, Vasantha, succumbed to cancer in 1990 and later took up the mission of spreading awareness about cancer, early diagnosis and treatment.

Three years after her death, he set up a trust in her name in Tiruchi. The Trust became active in 1998 and currently has 40 volunteers in Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and Coimbatore. It has helped 151 people with cancer get back on their feet, sometimes going beyond sponsoring the treatment to help the family sustain itself.

In Coimbatore, the trust has been able to raise awareness in at least one lakh school children. "We conducted talks and held competitions. Last year, 25,000 school children helped to raise funds by painting greeting cards," Dr. Ramanathan recalled. After covering Coimbatore extensively he moved to Chennai in February to expand his area of coverage. In Chennai, the trust has conducted 65 talks in factories, colleges, offices and hotels.

From June-end to August, cancer awareness programmes will be conducted in city schools where he will talk about the ills of tobacco use. He has conducted awareness talks for employees of government agencies such as the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and TASMAC during their lunch hour.

"The acceptance that `I too can get cancer' should come to people. Once aware, more people will seek early treatment," he says.

His sister, living in Mumbai, carries on the crusade for women there.