Description
St. Jude’s The Impossible Choice powerfully showed that safe housing is crucial to cancer treatment and that medical care alone isn’t enough. India faces a huge cancer burden, with 1.4 million new cases each year and limited access to affordable care. The cancer aid sector includes major institutions such as the Indian Cancer Society and Tata Memorial Centre, as well as smaller NGOs working on research, treatment support, awareness, and palliative care. Crowdfunding platforms like Ketto and Milaap are essential for treatment funding but rely heavily on patient-poverty, leading to donor fatigue and inconsistent support. At the same time, non-medical needs such as patient housing and caregiver assistance remain underfunded. As per 2014 CSR regulations, NGOs must return unused funds from corporate donations or redirect them to government projects, reducing their flexibility to address urgent needs. This made it tougher for independent cancer aid organizations to secure sustained funding.
