Did you know?
India's incidence of cancer will increase from 1 million in 2012 to more than 1.7 million in 2035. This indicates that the death rate because of cancer will also increase from 680000 to 1- 2 million in the same period. In India, 20 per 100000 populations are affected by oral cancer which accounts for about 30% of all types of cancer. Over 5 people in India die every hour everyday because of oral cancer and the same number of people dies from cancer in oropharynx and hypo pharynx. There is an alarming lack of awareness about oral pre-cancer. Early detection and management of oral pre cancer and cancer results in a better prognosis.Early diagnosis increases survival rate by 33%.
Founding Story
During her post graduation in Oral Medicine, Dr Apala Baduni came across a patient of oral cancer. He was a 27 year old man with a huge cancer wound on his severely swollen face; he was a mason by profession; who lived in a village. He came along with his 21 year old wife and two daughters. He had been chewing “gutkha” since 14 years of age; 5 packets per day. The tests result proved that he was in his last stage; but what shocked her most, was that he covered his cancer wound with a leaf coated with turmeric. He apprised that he was going to a doctor for 1 year when the wound had just
started, this was the treatment given to him by the local doctor. Dr Baduni had various questions in her mind like, What if he did not chew tobacco? What if he was diagnosed early? Not only patient but his wife daughters could be saved from the physical, mental and psychological traumas which were given by cancer. That moment the idea of Ekohum Foundation was born, with the mission to spread awareness about tobacco addiction, early screening and treatment. Till now 1650 patients have been screened in 2 years since 2017.
Vision
To free the society from preventable cancer.
Mission
To free the society from cancer through early screening, prompt treatment and instilling healthy habits.
Founded in 2017, Ekohum Foundation a registered trust; efforts have led 110000+ individuals to be aware of the use of tobacco and its role in oral cancer. Through our screening and detention camps, we have screened over 10300 people. When assessed on the Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence, 45% of tobacco users underwent de-addiction counseling with Ekohum showing a reduced dependency on tobacco.
In COVID times Ekohum Foundation our priorities changed during the first wave of COVID in March 2020, when we started our helpline providing food, ration supplies, emergency medicines to the patients who came for their treatment from outstation and were stuck in Delhi.
We were awarded Global Humanitarian award for our services during COVID.
In the second wave our team is running a telemedicine helpline for COVID patients,we are also helping patients in need with urgent verified contacts, which helped them to procure their needs on time and save lives.
Our Impact