Rotary partners with Lions, FICCI Flo for cancer screening project

Saying that the best way to prevent cervical ­cancer is vaccination and screening, RID 3070 ­governor ­Davinder Singh launched the ‘Freedom from  Cervical Cancer’ programme at a zoom meet to mark India’s 74th ­Independence Day. Together with ­Rotaractors, Interactors, individual donors and NGOs, the district raised $36,000 through an online pledge and signed an MoU with the Lions ­International District 321 and FICCI FLO, Amritsar, for this project.

“I am glad to announce that with an amount of ₹1 lakh, our district Rotaractors have taken the lead in the online fundraiser,” said Singh. In his message, RID Bharat Pandya said, “The Rotaractors have yet again shown us that they are ­partners in Rotary and are ready to shoulder  responsibility.” He expressed his ­“heartfelt thanks to FICCI FLO and Lions District 321 for partnering with us.” Pandya noted DG Singh was setting an example by showing that “we are not competitors but partners who want to work together to make the world a better place.” He congratulated RID 3070 for releasing videos on Ek chamach kum, char kadam aage and the national anthem with Punjabi folk instruments. “It is an excellent virtual PR initiative featuring the work of the Rotarians of your district,” he said.

Quoting from an Urdu poem, Pandya said, “Main akela hi chala tha janib-e-manzil magar log saath aate gaye aur karvan banta gaya (I started all alone towards the goal/but people kept joining and it began to turn into a caravan)” to remind Singh that this is not just a one-year ­project and “you will have to partner with more people to see bigger results. Make sure the karvan keeps growing.”

RPIC Deepak ­Agarwal, said that within 45 days, “this district has done an amazing job in terms of PR.” Addressing the MoU partners, he said, “Even during this pandemic, we have proved that we are a dynamic organisation willing to take on any task. For Rotary no challenge is big enough and together we can do wonders.”

I am glad to announce that with ₹1 lakh our district Rotaractors have taken the lead in the online fundraiser.

CA Davinder Singh District governor

Thanking the ­Rotarians, Lions District 321 Governor Hardeep Kardka said, “in every Lion, there is a Rotarian and, in every ­Rotarian, there is a Lion and together we will protect our girls from cervical cancer.”

FICCI FLO ­chairperson, Amritsar chapter, Meeta Mehra said “FLO represents over 8,000 women ­entrepreneurs and ­professionals throughout India and we are proud and honoured to be part of this drive.”

Rotary will match the contributions of both its partners in a 1:1 ratio for this project and the immunisation drive will start from January next year. Little ­Happiness ­Foundation, an NGO from the US, donated $1,000 towards the cause. DG Singh thanked his team of 29 doctors led by Dr Hardas Singh Sandhu, Founder, Rotary Cancer Hospital, Amritsar, who has laid down the ­guidelines for the ­vaccination programmes.