Mysore/Mysuru: As part of World Cancer Day, Bharath Hospital and Institute of Oncology (BHIO), in association with Cycle Pure Agarbathi, had organised Hope-A-Thon, a Torchlight Parade from Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple at the North Gate of Mysore Palace in city yesterday.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. B.S. Ajaikumar, Managing Director of BHIO and Executive Chairman of HCG Hospital, said: “In 2022 alone, India had 14.61 lakh people who developed cancer and it was one of the leading causes of death for India. By 2025, India is expected to have 29 million cancer cases. Karnataka alone had nearly 90,000 cancer cases in 2021 and an Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) study says Karnataka’s cancer cases will go up by another 90,000 by the year 2025. We at BHIO and HCG see an increasing number of lung cancers daily. As a cancer specialist, I can say with conviction that tobacco is one of the single largest contributors to people getting cancer. Mere tobacco control will not do. It must be banned to save lives.”

He further said that Mysuru should show the way to the rest of the country in initiating various steps to ban tobacco consumption and production and added that there is a need to increase the legal smoking age periodically, on the lines of New Zealand, to prevent future generations from tobacco use.

Dr. Ajaikumar said that there is a need to educate farmers in and around Mysuru who grow tobacco to stop growing it.

Arjun Ranga, MD of Cycle Pure Agarbathi, who was the chief guest, said: “We are humbled to extend support to Hope-A-Thon Torchlight Parade which is a good initiative towards spreading more awareness around cancer. This initiative is a powerful reminder that together, we can make a difference in the fight against this devastating disease. Let’s join forces and work towards a future where cancer is no longer a threat to our loved ones and communities.”

Participants from various institutions and organisations took part in the Torchlight Parade. Principal of Police Training School M.S. Geetha Prasanna, Senior Radiation Oncologist and Medical Superintendent of BHIO Dr. Y.S. Madhavi, BHIO Centre Manager Nirmala K. Murthy and others were present.