Cancer care awareness: The first line of defence
The growing cancer crisis continues to plague India. A high proportion of cancer cases are detected at advanced stages, often making it too late for effective intervention. The country has one of the poorest cancer detection rates globally, primarily driven by a lack of awareness and regular screening. The consequences are grave: cancer remains among the top causes of death in India. And the rising incidence brings a significant economic burden through lost productivity and premature mortality.
The Tata Trusts have been reimagining cancer care in India by focusing on four critical pillars: access, affordability, quality care and awareness. Central to this approach is a commitment to flip the current ratio. Worldwide, 30% of cancers are detected late (with little chance of recovery), but in India, this percentage sits at 70%. We can enable early diagnosis and better outcomes by empowering individuals and communities with the right information and facilities.
Our distributed care model takes services closer to communities, especially in regions with limited healthcare access. This model is supported by widespread awareness and screening campaigns, such as Kaise Ka Cancer, Gaanth Pe Dhyan, and Khud Se Jeet, which educate individuals, promote early recognition of symptoms, and encourage timely medical action.
By combining community-centric outreach with scalable health infrastructure, the Tata Trusts are building a responsive ecosystem in which cancer care is not just a last resort but a first line of defence.
True change only happens when information turns into action — when a woman stops ignoring a symptom, when a caregiver knows what to look for, when a family chooses screening over fear. This is what the Trusts constantly strive for: from silence to early action, from hesitation to hope.
Cancer se Jeetna Sambhav Hai is more than a slogan; it’s a behavioural movement prompting people to prioritise their health, act on early signs, and take charge of their well-being.
The same belief is at the heart of our cervical cancer awareness campaign, Khud Se Jeet, which encourages women to trust their instincts, question the “normal,” and make timely screening a part of routine self-care.
Khud se jeet: Karien shuruaat, samay par jaanch ke saath
Cervical cancer, one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer, continues to claim the lives of nine women every hour, often because early symptoms are overlooked or ignored.
Cervical cancer develops slowly, giving ample opportunity for early detection through routine screening. Yet, social stigma, lack of awareness, and cultural silence around women’s health have created barriers that cost lives.
The campaign challenges this silence head-on. At its heart is a film that echoes the inner voice of many women asking, “Is this normal?” A question often dismissed in the daily shuffle of responsibilities. The film brings empathy and urgency together, encouraging women aged 30 years and above to prioritise their health, recognise potential warning signs, and undergo testing. By presenting testing and screening as a simple yet essential act of self-care and responsibility, the campaign urges women to take the first step.
Early action saves lives
Gaanth Pe Dhyan: A Cooking Metaphor, Reminding Women to Check for Lumps
Launched during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in 2023, Gaanth Pe Dhyan is an impactful campaign by the Trusts that uses a familiar metaphor to start an urgent conversation. By drawing a parallel between the care women take to avoid lumps in their cooking and the necessity of regular self-examination to detect breast lumps early, the campaign delivers a powerful reminder: early detection of breast cancer can save lives.
What began as an on-ground activation with community engagement and regional celebrity chef collaborations soon evolved into a compelling social awareness film featuring renowned chef and Padma Shri recipient Sanjeev Kapoor. The film invites women to see breast self-exams as an act of everyday self-care, no different from the attention they give to their families’ meals.
With this fresh, relatable insight, Gaanth Pe Dhyan encourages women across India to prioritise their health. By presenting breast screening as an essential form of self-care, the film inspires and empowers women to take proactive steps toward the early detection of breast cancer, which can ultimately save lives.
The campaign earned widespread recognition, winning top honours at the e4m Do Good Awards and PRovoke's Global Creative Index 2024.
Kaise Ka Cancer: A Journey from Fear to Hope
Launched on World Cancer Day 2023, Kaise Ka Cancer is an acclaimed campaign by the Trusts that highlights the uncertainty, helplessness, anxiety, gloom, and doom that cancer patients and their families experience when the disease is detected. Through powerful storytelling, the campaign replaces despair with hope, encouraging people to act early and believe in the possibility of recovery.
Kaise Ka Cancer endeavours to create awareness around the deeper issues of access, affordability, and quality of cancer care in India. Based on deep insights from across markets, the three-film series captures the patient’s journey and uncovers the mental anguish of the cancer patient’s family and the quiet struggles of caregivers. The campaign reflects the challenges faced in accessing timely, affordable, and quality care, particularly in high-incidence, underserved areas, and goes on to showcase how the Trusts are working to bridge these gaps through the distributed care model. The third film nudges people to not dismiss symptoms and get themselves tested and screened.
This campaign also received several accolades, including top honours at the IAA Awards 2023, the Dadasaheb Phalke Jury Award, and the Golden Award of Montreux, affirming its impact and powerful storytelling.
Sanjeevani – United Against Cancer: A collaboration to amplify voices
The Trusts associated with the News 18 Network for Sanjeevani – United Against Cancer, as knowledge partners with Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation, as part of its mission to strengthen cancer awareness and early detection in India.
Sanjeevani – United Against Cancer promotes timely health checks, early symptom recognition, and effective tumour management — all critical tools in the fight against cancer. In India, fear and neglect often delay diagnosis, especially for common types like breast, cervical, oral, lung, and colorectal cancers. Sanjeevani – United Against Cancer focuses on empowering individuals to face these fears, take charge of their health, and act early when it matters most.
The initiative carries out a range of engaging activities designed to inform and empower both patients and caregivers. From celebrating survivor stories to expert-led discussions, the collaboration brings credible, compassionate content to the forefront. Interactive quizzes on lifestyle and nutrition, along with a rich library of stories and blogs, make Sanjeevani – United Against Cancer a comprehensive platform for raising awareness and inspiring action against cancer.
Renowned actor Vidya Balan has been at the forefront of the initiative, which continues to reach millions across the country.
Stories from the field
A lifeline at home: Shyam Sunder’s story of strength and support
With support from the Tata Trusts’ Cancer Care Programme, Shyam Sunder found treatment and hope close to home.
Priti Devi’s Journey of Hope and Healing
Tata Trusts-supported Ranchi Cancer Hospital and Research Centre’s expert care has enabled Priti Devi, a young mother whose cancer had spread to her bones, to get back on her feet.
Sarita’s fight with multiple cancers
In a first, RCHRC’s medical team perform simultaneous surgeries to treat Sarita for multiple cancers.
