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The Story of Free Cancer Care in Pakistan
28 Years of Hope
The Story of Free Cancer Care in Pakistan
In February 1985, after a long and agonising struggle, Imran Khan lost his mother to cancer. Little did he know that the most painful event of his life would pave the way for a hospital in her name that continues to provide hope for millions. Today, the cricket legend and former Prime Minister of Pakistan is also the Founding Chairman of Imran Khan Cancer Appeal and Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. This is the story of how his loss changed the lives of thousands.
Shaukat Khanum
Hailing from a family of proficient cricketers, and having a Sufi Warrior Poet for an ancestor, Shaukat Khanum was a woman who was proud of her heritage. Hers was a pride she instilled in her five children, along with dignity and an iron resolve. In February 1985, Shaukat Khanum’s family lost her to cancer. She was just 63 years old. Imran Khan was her only son.
For Imran Khan, the devastation of his mother’s death was secondary to watching her suffer through her struggle with cancer. The ordeal revealed a jarring reality: Pakistan had a dearth of medical resources when it came to treating cancer and this was costing lives. During the time spent with his mother in cancer wards, Imran Khan also witnessed the distress of other patients. He was especially troubled by those with limited means. ‘How’, he questioned, ‘do the poor cope with a disease that is so debilitating to patients and their families?’ After his mother passed away, Imran Khan decided that irrespective of their background, everyone deserved an equal chance at life.
Cricket and the Fight Against Cancer
On November 10th 1989, at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Imran Khan made his first fundraising appeal during a cricket match between India and Pakistan. It helped get the ball rolling for a series of further fundraisers that went global. The idea of a hospital providing free cancer care was laughable to most but Imran Khan wasn’t discouraged. Two years later, Pakistan’s win under his captaincy at the 1992 Cricket World Cup in Melbourne gave the appeal that boost it needed. The response was phenomenal, with £1.5 million collected in just six weeks. Imran Khan donated the entire sum of his own prize money to the project and continued to campaign until construction for the hospital was underway.
A New Hope for Pakistan
In 1994, following five years of fundraising, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital was established in Lahore and Pakistan’s biggest cancer charity was born. As a comprehensive care facility dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, it was a first in Pakistan. Click below to read more about Shaukat Khanum Hospital.
28 Years On
In two and a half decades we’ve changed the face of cancer care in Pakistan. Together, we’ve established:
- Diagnostics Centres nationwide
- Outreach Screening Clinics nationwide
- Two Cancer Hospitals in Lahore and Peshawar
- 91 Laboratory Collection Centres across 42 cities
We were the first hospital in Pakistan to procure a PET CT scan, and the first to make bone marrow transplants widely available. Our first bone marrow transplant was at no cost to the patient whose treatment was sponsored by an anonymous donor. The procedure would have cost £14,000.
Today, we’re building a third cancer hospital in Karachi. Find out more about how you can support the project, and why we rely on your Sadaqah to bring free cancer care to Karachi.
How Your Money is Spent
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Medical Care
The bulk of our spending goes into cancer care.
At Shaukat Khanum Hospital, patients who can’t afford treatment are offered support from the outset. We cover everything from the cost of medication and pathology to chemotherapy and surgery.
Our medical care funds also cover the cost of medical appliances used for treatment and diagnosis. And of course, it covers the wages of our medical staff, who provide vital care.
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Operating Costs
14% Of our annual expenditure is spent on operating costs. This covers the wages of our finance and admin staff, without whom we simply couldn’t function.
They are responsible for running our hospital and clinics. They are also in charge of processing donations and making sure your money gets to where it’s most needed so that it is spent properly.
We don’t deduct anything from your Zakat and Sadaqah for operating costs. These go directly to helping patients. In addition to this, we try to limit the amount deducted from your donations whenever we can through revenue received from our hospital diagnostic services and other means. You can help us do this by allowing us to reclaim Gift Aid on your behalf if you are a UK taxpayer.
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Maintenance and Repairs
12% Of our annual budget is spent on maintenance and repairs.
This covers the maintenance of our hospitals, centres, and clinics.
It ensures that our patients are always cared for in an environment that is clean, well-maintained, and conducive to recovery.We don’t deduct anything from your Zakat and Sadaqah for maintenance and repairs. These go directly to helping patients. In addition to this, we try to limit the amount deducted from your donations whenever we can through revenue received from our hospital diagnostic services and other means. You can help us do this by allowing us to reclaim Gift Aid on your behalf if you are a UK taxpayer.
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Fundraising
4% Of our annual expenditure helps to fund our fundraising work.
It covers the cost of our digital promotions; website maintenance; direct mail and emails. In effect, 4% ensures that we remain connected with our volunteers, and are always able to keep our donors informed. It also covers expenses associated with promo materials and targeted charity events.
Fundraising is vital to our work at Imran Khan Cancer Appeal. Through fundraising, we can carry on raising awareness of cancer in Pakistan and collecting funds that will save more lives.
We don’t deduct anything from your Zakat and Sadaqah for fundraising. These go directly to helping patients. In addition to this, we try to limit the amount deducted from your donations whenever we can through revenue received from our hospital diagnostic services and other means. You can help us do this by allowing us to reclaim Gift Aid on your behalf if you are a UK taxpayer.
Why Donate to Imran Khan Cancer Appeal?
Find out why ICU care demands a specialised kind of nursing
ICU Nurse, Asif: “Here, we tell patients whatever the reality of their case is. While being a critical care patient does not always mean the worst, we also never give fake hope.”
Find out why Play Therapy is vital to cancer care
Play Therapist, Bushra: “The basic idea of play therapy is to keep children psychologically stable as they go through prolonged cancer treatment.”
URGENT APPEALS
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Feed a Cancer Patient
A small Sadaqah of £5 provides two hospital meals for a day. Can you share your food by giving £5 for every meal you have in a month? Most patients who qualify for free cancer care at Shaukat Khanum Hospital are undernourished, even before they begin cancer treatment.
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Build Shaukat Khanum Karachi
Free cancer care in Pakistan is possible. We’ve seen it in action for over two decades across two cancer hospitals in Lahore and Peshawar. Now we’re bringing free cancer care to Karachi. Will you help us make history again in Pakistan?
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Support Shaukat Khanum Lahore
In Lahore, we need your help to expand our capacity and buy essential equipment and resources. But the rising incidence of cancer around the world is also affecting Pakistan’s poorest. Can you help us meet demand so that no patient gets turned away from Shaukat Khanum Hospital?
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Treat a Patient with Your Zakat
With your Zakat, one person facing a fatal disease in Pakistan can now get the help they need. By sponsoring the full or partial treatment of a poor patient, you can ensure they receive the best cancer care available in Pakistan.
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