Indian Cancer Society’s UGAM Celebrates 14 Years of Childhood Cancer Survivorship

India’s first non-profit organization, The Indian Cancer Society (ICS), celebrated the 14th anniversary of the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program through UGAM. The support group UGAM, consisting of childhood cancer survivors, aims to spread awareness about curable cancer and empower cancer patients and survivors with necessary support. The event saw a footfall of 350+ guests, including cancer survivors from across India, esteemed oncologists from various hospitals, and ICS well-wishers. The survivors graced the stage with unique performances highlighting the vision of destigmatizing the disease. The event marked the launch of a community app to enable interaction, sharing, and staying connected with the community. The anniversary celebration concluded with a round-table discussion titled Chai with UGAM, an announcement of educational and other programs delivered by ICS, and the release of their newsletter. The Indian Cancer society, in addition to screening and offering financial help for cancer diagnosis and treatment, supports cancer survivors’ rehabilitation and publishes the Indian Journal of Cancer, India’s first indexed oncology journal. The voluntary support group UGAM is inspired by global cancer survivors with whom they interacted during the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) meeting in October 2007. Every year, the first Sunday of June is formally celebrated as Cancer Survivors Day across the world. The event ended with the announcement of the global Relay for Life event, an initiative by the American Cancer Society, represented by ICS in India.