Details
Within a short year’s span, KDFCC progressed from being a nascent idea in the minds of Kalpana and Dipankar Datta to becoming a solid foundation, building itself up more and more each day to fulfill the desire to reduce suffering from cancer and other ailments. Progress could not have occurred without the help of volunteers and the many esteemed individuals who contributed their time and expertise for this cause.
As year 2 began, KDFCC continued current work while also expanding and meeting various goals, such as:

• Establish KDFCC’s own team for the medical screening camps,
• Establish an education fund for the villagers,
• Establish a long term relationship with a hospital/health institute,
• Establish an ambulance program, and
• Establish a cancer treatment fund.

In order to achieve these goals the founders determined the need to reach out to friends and well wishers and educate them about KDFCC's results, responses, and needs. Thus, through American version of KDFCC, “Kalpana Datta Cancer Care Foundation”, we prepared a video and informational brochure that covered our organization and activities in India. The first seminar in which we showed the video and distributed the brochure was in East Hills, NY in May 2008 at Dhruba and Banani Dutta’s residence. The audience consisted of 30 friends. The next seminar was held in July, 2008 at Endo Pharmaceuticals, NY with 25 of Dipankar Datta’s ex-colleagues in attendance. We received a very positive response from both gatherings.

Our next stop was in Toronto, Canada at the “NABC-2008” (North American Bengali Conference – 2008). We wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to reach out to approximately 6000 Bengali attendees from the USA and Canada, so we rented a booth at the convention from July 3rd to July 5th, 2008. There, we presented our video and distributed our brochures. We were thrilled to receive positive responses, encouragement, and support. Our next step wasto mail the brochures to our well wishers to ask for their help and support. Also, we published articles about our foundation’s activities and goals in American Bengali magazines to reach a large number of readers. In October, 2008, we will arrange to have an information booth during the Bengali Durga Puja celebration in New York and New Jersey.

Medical and Cancer Screening Camps
The KDFCC has actively held medical and cancer (specifically breast and cervical cancer) screening camps since April 29th, 2007 on a monthly basis except in the monsoon season. In effect, this means that we conduct 11 camps per year. In 2008, camps were held on Jan 20, Feb 24, Mar 23, April 27, May 25, June 23, Aug 3, September 21, October 19, Nov 30 and Dec 28. Camps are open to villagers of any age. The camp’s medical portion consists of general checkups and treating illnesses. We provide medications free or at minimal cost.
 
Initially, Saktipada Das Memorial Foundation provided support for the camps. Since October 2007, the camps have been supported by a team of two Gynecologists from Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, under the leadership of Dr. Partha Sarathi Basu, Head, Gynecology and Oncology and general physicians Dr.Tiwary and Dr. Mohan.

We extended the reach of our camps by holding the March 23rd, 2008 camp at Srirampore Primary school at Srirampore village of Langalberia Panchayet. The members of a local social club, Srirampore Sammilani, helped in organizing the camp.

​​Statistics are given below:

	Jan 20, 2008	Feb 24, 2008	Mar 23, 2008	Apr 27, 2008
General Check Up	253	259	222	194
Total Gynecological Check Up	113	148	102	56
Breast Screening	12	16	12	8
Cervical Screening	36	38	28	20

Swamiji Somanandaji Maharaj kindly consented to conduct the cancer screening camps at the Ashram Library building of the Ramkrishna Mission to help the people of Mahesh/Rishra, Hooghly. Accordingly, the camps were held on February 7th, April 3rd, and December 11th. The 14 male and female volunteers from KDFCC and about 5 volunteers from Ramkrishna Mission participated in organizing these camps. The camps were conducted by the team from Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata under the leadership of Dr. Partha Sarathi Basu, Head, Gynecology and Oncology.

​Statistics are given below:

	Feb 7, 2008	Apr 3, 2008
Total Gynecological Check Up	94	45
Breast Screening	12	8
Cervical Screening	53	28

Nov 30, 2008 - Bargachia primary school.
Aug 31, 2008: This camp was held at Baidyabati, Dist. Hooghly and was supported by the medical team from CNCI, Kolkata. The members of a local social club, Baidyabati Surighat Sarbojanin Durgotsab Committee also helped in organizing the camp.

Blood Sugar Level
Starting Jan, 2008, the camps also included determining the blood sugar level of the general population during a fasting stage. Sri Dipak Mukherjee, an Aventis retired sales executive, performs the test. The purpose of this program is to make people aware that controlling blood sugar levels may help reduce the risk of health problems such as diabetes. We believe that keeping the community healthy will allow our campaign for cancer awareness to be fruitful.

Providing Treatment Support
During the camp cancer screening process, some women were diagnosed with CIN I and CIN II, which is a pre-cancerous stage of cervical. Our volunteers escorted these women to the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (Hospital). There, these women were successfully treated by surgery and medicine. They received our mental and financial support. The hospital stay and the surgery were free because of their BPL (Below Poverty Line) status but the medicine was not, so KDFCC subsidized 80% of that cost. This subsidy amount changes depending on family income. Now these women are in remission and have returned to their normal lives, and are advised to be screened for cervical cancer in two years.

Similarly, there have been cases where women have been diagnosed with breast cancer. For instance, during a camp, our female volunteer / health worker observed a suspicious lump while checking a woman with Breast Self Exam (BSE). The Gynecologist performed a Clinical Breast Exam (CBE) which revealed a fibroid in the outer layer quadrant. Our volunteer escorted the patient to the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (Hospital) and was admitted to that hospital. After further tests, the doctor recommended surgery to remove the breast lump. The hospital stay and surgery were performed free of cost because of her BPL (Below Poverty Line) status. However, she needed to purchase post surgery prescription medication so she applied for financial support from KDFCC and we supported 100% of this cost. She is now leading normal life and is advised for routine BSE.

In the same way, a Urethral Growth with Dysplasia was found in a woman during our camp. Our volunteer escorted her to the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (Hospital) and she was treated by a successful surgery. The biopsy result showed no evidence of malignancy. The hospital stay and the surgery were done at a free of cost because of her BPL (Below Poverty Line) status, but once again, medication was not covered, so KDFCC supported 100% of its cost. Now she is leading normal life and has been advised for a follow up visit with a Doctor either at the hospital or at a KDFCC camp.

Sonarpur Bloc Health Camps
KDFCC was invited by the Jadavpore Parliament Center Health Camp Committee, 2008 to participate in the Sonarpore Bloc Health camps. We participated by conducting three cancer awareness seminars, each of which had an audience of approximately 20 women:

• Banhoogly I - Feb 4th, 2008 at Kabi Nazrul Shiksha Niketan
• Polghat - Feb 5th, 2008 at Raghavpur M.S.K
• Langalberia - Feb 9th, 2008 at Surath Smriti Bidyamandir

KDFCC’s volunteers participated in these Health Camps and conducted cancer awareness seminars. Each seminar focused on a group of approximately 20 women.

Unnayani Mahila Samabaya Samity, Konnagar
The Samity is a society for women’s welfare, co-operation and self reliance who invited KDFCC to participate in the 17th Annual festival on February 19th and 20th, 2008 at Konnagar. KDFCC organized a health camp for women on 20th February, 2008, in which 34 women participated.

Annual Get-together and One year celebration
KDFCC volunteers, their spouses and children gathered on February 2nd and discussed the importance of cancer awareness and early detection. We all shared clear simple messages about healthy living and screening and how to take an active role to reduce the risk of cancer. Impressed by the speaker’s eloquence, KDFCC decided to award the truly outstanding ones.

Everyone gathered on March 15th to celebrate the foundation’s first year. Some volunteers and children participated in a cultural performance. We have become a great team.

Advisory Committee
KDFCC formed an Advisory Committee. We reached out to local professionals such as doctors, head masters and teachers, by explaining to them our mission and objectives. 14 of these professionals formed the committee, which first assembled on March 15th. These members help in performing our activities, such as serving as editor for DISHARI, organizing the annual rally and organizing seminars.

Publication of DISHARI
In early 2008 we decided to increase cancer awareness through our education outreach program, which consists of publishing an educational news magazine on a quarterly basis. The contributors to the magazine are the children of our volunteers and neighbors. Having the children’s input was a great way to get them involved. The first issue of “Dishari”, which means “the one who shows the path”, was published at the June 23, 2008 camp. For the first issue, eighteen children ranging from fifth grade students to college students participated in the writing and publication.

Seminars
So far, we have given 24 seminars to raise awareness on the importance of proper screening, prevention, and early detection, for saving lives.
 
Door to Door Campaign
Since March, 2007, we have been conducting a door to door campaign targeting eight villages within the Langalberia Panchayet, reaching approximately 6500 homes as of Dec 2008. Our volunteers discuss the importance of breast cancer awareness with the female members of each household and showed them SBE (self breast examination) procedure. Our volunteers also discuss the importance of Cervical Cancer screening.

Rally
In addition to seminars and camps, KDFCC has organized a rally each year since Nov 4, 2007. In addition to fulfilling our mission of raising cancer awareness, we used the rally as an opportunity to educate people about the dangers of tobacco consumption among other general health considerations.