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| Centre: Mrs. Vimal Kamath |
October is supposed to be Breast Cancer awareness month so I thought I will share this inspiring story with you.
About 6/7 years back, Mrs. Vimal Kamath, then 77, a Breast Cancer survivor, got an International Award in Malaysia for the excellent work done by her NGO just a day or two before her only child, my friend Atul Kamath, died in USA of a sudden heart attack. We were stunned a few days later to see this grand lady at our doorstep, asking for my help in bidding for hosting the next International Conference of Breast Cancer NGOs in India. In the next couple of weeks she roped in the 5/6 NGOs active in Mumbai in this field and got the backing of Tata Memorial Hospital. Dr. Rajan Badwe, now Director TMH and I were the only two men in the team which was required to put in a bid for hosting the conference in India against stiff competition from Japan, S. Korea, China and Taiwan.
With almost no budgets, we created a practically zero cost (<$400) Video presentation to support our Bid which was to be evaluated by an International team from Switzerland and Australia. Marathi Film and TV Star Sukanya Kulkarni gave her time gratis for the cause. Here it is:
The Video helped India win the bid and Mrs. Kamath as the Chairperson of the Organising Committee went on to very successfully host the Conference with representatives from over 80 countries attending–she was almost 80 by then I think. She has been in-and-out of hospitals of late with age related ailments but continues to lead her NGO with such gusto as would do someone twenty odd years junior like me proud. She has been a real source of inspiration and may she continue to do so for all around her for many many years.
And yes, dear lady readers above 40, it is time for the annual check-up.
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