The Lions Club of Mysore West (LCMW), one of Mysuru’s most respected community service organisations with over 44 years of sustained service, has launched Project CARE, a focused initiative aimed at improving comfort, continuity and dignity in cancer treatment for children.

In India, nearly 36,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year, yet childhood cancer survival rates remain at 20%, compared to over 95% in developed countries. 

In Mysuru district alone, approximately 40 new cases of childhood leukaemia are diagnosed every year.  Experts note that this gap is driven not by lack of medical knowledge but by challenges related to access, continuity of care and treatment-related distress.

Project CARE addresses these challenges by providing chemo-ports to children undergoing chemotherapy.  These critical medical devices reduce repeated needle pricks, lower infection risk and help ensure uninterrupted treatment.

A legacy of service

Project CARE builds upon LCMW’s long-standing commitment to community service across multiple sectors such as education, healthcare and social services. LCMW runs the Lions Sevaniketan School, an affordable CBSE-affiliated institution catering to low and middle-income families and has consistently delivered strong academic outcomes. It also supports education through scholarships for meritorious students and assistance to other schools.         

The Girl Child Education Scholarships have been a great success with phenomenal outcomes. The Club regularly conducts free public health camps, wellness initiatives and life-saving technique demonstrations. Its Renal Care Support Programme, now in its 12th consecutive year, subsidises dialysis for 25 patients, with support exceeding Rs. 10 lakh per year. Besides education and health, LCMW actively supports families of fallen soldiers, recognising courage and sacrifice and undertakes initiatives focused on women empowerment and livelihood support.

“From education to wellness, and from community care to national service, our work has always been guided by consistency and compassion,” Neeru Mehta, President, LCMW said.

LCMW’s annual fundraiser event in aid of Project CARE will be held on Jan. 3  (Saturday) including a Paediatric Cancer Awareness Walk, free health check-up by medical professionals at Sevaniketan School in Gokulam and Medico Melodies, a musical evening by Dr. Somanath Vasudeva and team. For details about the health camp to be held between 10 am and 1 pm on Jan. 3, contact Ph: 0821-2511254.

—Sujata Rajpal