Hi

My name is Yasar and I am raising money for the Imran Khan Cancer Appeal (IKCA) to help build Pakistan's second Shaukat Khanum Memorial (SKM) cancer hospital.  

As everyone is aware, cancer is a devastating disease affecting millions worldwide. The disease burden is immense and heart-breaking for victims and families alike. To further add to the challenges cancer presents, due to financial difficulties or distances to a hospital - sufferers in developing countries like Pakistan, can often go without treatment or receive minimal treatment. One of the few facilities specialised in offering care to cancer patients is "The Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital" Lahore Pakistan. This hospital was established in memory of Shaukat Khanum, mother of the cricket player Imran Khan. The facility provides excellent, quality care either entirely free to approximately 7000 cancer patients annually or subsided to all patients irrespective of their background. Further information about the hospital can be found here ,https://www.ikca.co.uk/ and in the video included with this just giving page.

As seen in the photos below, the facility in Lahore  has been visited by many celebrities, including cricket players Shoaib Akhtar, Rahul Dravid and  Sachin Tandulker and the US Ambassador.  Perhaps, the most prominent celebrity to visit was the late Princess Diana. Princess Diana's  visit helped raise awareness of the plight of cancer patients in developing countries.  

In 2006, when I had just finished medical school in Pakistan, my sister Irum, (then 26 years old) was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Due to high costs and lack of adequate cancer treatment facilities in my hometown (Peshawar) Irum  was taken to SKM Lahore.   I remember clearly the effort needed to transfer Irum from Peshawar to SKM for the countless surgeries and chemotherapy sessions.   This was a challenging and agonising journey taking almost 8 hours which was not only incredibly uncomfortable for my sister but was also heartbreaking to see. 

At SKM,  not only did Irum receive excellant quality care but the staff were very friendly and would spend many an afternoon with her sharing stories.   Irum recovered and was doing well.  My  sister was a qualified lawyer and started to work on her career, she got married and with her husband started to plan a future.   However, two years later she suffered a relapse and tragically passed away soon after.    She never had the chance to live her dreams. 

Recently, SKM announced that they were building a cancer hospital in Peshawar.  I have a special affiliation with the hospital and want to help in any way I can.   I have set up the Irum Nazlie Charity appeal and hope to raise £3000 by June 2014.   Furthermore, my siblings and  I aim to match the amount of money  donated from our own pockets.  Therefore all donations made  to the hospital from this just giving page will be doubled!

Thank you for visiting my just giving page and  I hope that you will donate generously. 

Yasar

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Bake Sale to be held at the Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre University of Glasgow. Friday the 13th GBRC Tea Room Level 2. 12 noon onwards

Bake Sale to be held at Yorkhill DCH Seminar room, near medi-cinema Friday the 13th GBRC Tea Room Level 2.  1pm onwards. 

4 Raffles will be held.  Two site specific at Yorkhill and GBRC and two independant ones.  Donated prizes are:  Meals for two for Indian Restaurant,  Lunch deal for two from the Little Café (Ersan), £20 Voucher from Ichiban (Chris).  Amazon Gift Vouchers  (Karen Proud-Smith, Promega Science),  i-tunes  and Boots voucher (Co-operative Supermarket).  £20 Top Shop voucher, Thorntons Chocolates, Body Shop Gift Set , Sanctuary Spa Gift Set Debenhams luxury beauty bags (Debenhams).