Execution plan and Help required

When we started the aid activities, there was an over-riding concern about ensuring the efficacy of any monetary aid we end up extending.  There were quite a few hurdles visible even to a non-discerning eye. As it is the case, majority of under-privileged cancer patients end up at government or government-aided hospital given the economics of the treatment. We could clearly see the following as factors that might limit the efficacy of the aid.

• Placing the money in the hands of the doctor was a clear conflict of interest. Moreover, it would have limited the control that we would have had over funds 
• Money in the hands of the patient would also not guarantee that it would be spent towards treatment. Given the socio-economic reality of most of such families there might be comparable pressing needs that might warrant diversion of funds towards them 

Hence,we decided to take advantage of existing frameworks at the hospitals. We decided to pay either directly to the hospital or to the pharmacy against the medicines that would be issued.

Concurrently, we also decided to constitute a medical advisory board, where in we have done thorough background checks on the doctors and we support their referrals for treatment or medical advise. Our medical board also has eminent doctors across Bangalore, Bombay and Ahmadabad who have committed 'x' amount of time to SMCF. They will counsel the patients that SMCF refers to them and also liaise with pharma companies to reduce the cost of treatment for the referred cases.

You can support us in a multitude of ways. Depending upon the resource you want to contribute, You can drop in a mail to smcfindia [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com :

Please put ‘Financial Support’ as the subject if you want to make a financial contribution. We are an organization that is 80(G) certified and all your donations would be eligible for income tax deductions.

Please put ‘Volunteer’ as the subject if you want to volunteer with SMCF. This is the biggest contribution that you can make to the cause. We need all hands and legs that we can muster to reach out to a larger pool of patients and the medical community.

Please put ‘Fund Raiser’ in the subject if you want to help us if the fund raising for the organization. Given the dreadful nature of the disease and the lack of coverage offered by the Indian medical infrastructure, fund raising can help us reach out to a larger audience. Some of you have already responded to help on this. I am waiting for the website to be up before I formally kick start the fund raising process.

Thanks for your encouragement and I look forward to your continuous support.