On one of the coldest days of the winter, the warmth of community, knowledge, and hope filled the room as Cancer Mukti Foundation (CMF), a Boston-based nonprofit organization, successfully hosted a large-scale Cancer Awareness Event in Lowell, Massachusetts. Despite freezing temperatures, more than 150 community members gathered to learn, engage, and take action in the fight against cancer.

The event was highly engaging and overwhelmingly well received, reflecting a growing community commitment to cancer awareness, education, prevention, and patient support.

The program was expertly hosted by CMF Board Member Ms. Aditi Soni, whose poised and seamless moderation kept the audience energized throughout the day.

The event opened with a deeply personal and inspiring address by Dr. Pramod Pandey, Founder of Cancer Mukti Foundation. Dr. Pandey shared how a personal loss to cancer transformed into a mission-driven organization dedicated to empowering communities through awareness, education, and compassionate patient support. He urged attendees to become active partners in CMF’s mission, emphasizing that informed communities save lives.

The educational sessions featured six distinguished speakers, each offering a unique and vital perspective on cancer:

Dr. Kartik Sehgal, medical oncologist from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, opened the speaker series with a clear and insightful overview of cancer, breaking down complex concepts, addressing common myths, outlining risk factors, and underscoring the importance of informed awareness.

Dr. Pratibha Ayurved, CEO of My Ayurved, spoke on Ayurveda and integrative oncology, emphasizing that effective cancer care must treat the whole person—not just the disease. She highlighted how nutrition, lifestyle, emotional balance, and traditional healing practices can complement conventional treatments and enhance quality of life.

Dr. Malini Prabhu, an accomplished board-certified psychiatrist, focused on the emotional and psychological journey of cancer, reminding the audience that empathy, presence, and strong family and social support systems are as critical as medical treatment.

Dr. Trisha Pasricha, physician-scientist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, and Washington Post columnist (“Ask the Doctor”), reinforced the life-saving importance of prevention and early detection, urging attendees to pay attention to warning signs, follow screening guidelines, and act early.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Manju Sheth, a renowned physician and accomplished media professional. Her keynote was deeply moving and powerful, demonstrating how medicine and storytelling through media can reshape the cancer conversation. She reminded the audience that stories themselves can heal, empower, and inspire action.

The program concluded with a forward-looking and hopeful session by Dr. Sheila Ranganath of Flagship Pioneering, who spoke about the future of cancer research and emerging therapies, offering reassurance that meaningful scientific progress continues despite ongoing challenges.

The event ended with an exceptionally engaging panel discussion, marked by high audience participation. Conversations continued well beyond the scheduled close of the program, reflecting the strong impact and relevance of the discussions.

The event was generously sponsored by eClinicalWorks, whose support was instrumental in making the program possible. Other supporting organizations included the Boston Chapter of Sewa International, India Circle of Caring and Utsav Event Planners & Décor, led by Ms. Kajal Kaushik Dixit and her dedicated team.

Members of the Cancer Mukti Foundation Board of Directors and executive committee include:

Dr. Abhay Asthana, Dr. N.R. Nirmala, Dr. David Weaver, Dr. Mrinal Gounder, Dr. Suresh Jain, Mr. Deepak Pant, Dr. Pramod Pandey, Dr. Dinesh Bangari, Dr. Jagdish Tewari, Dr. Rajiv Chopra, Ms. Aditi Soni, Dr. Shailendra Kumar, Ms. Bhawna Sharma, Dr. Radhika Patel, Dr. Kavitha Venkatesan and Mr. Birendra Manchikalapati.

Many board and executive committee members were present, demonstrating strong leadership commitment and community engagement.

Overall, the event was a resounding success, reinforcing Cancer Mukti Foundation’s growing role as a trusted platform for education, dialogue, and action in the fight against cancer.

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