Combating cancer

"The emperor of all maladies” has a new foe: the N. K. Dhabhar Cancer Foundation (NKDCF). Launched on June 5, 2011 at the hands of industrialist Jamshyd N. Godrej at The Grand Aria room of the Joss restaurant complex, the Foundation’s aims and objects as stated are "to provide monetary and medical assistance for cancer treatment, to spread awareness on prevention and early detection of cancer, to strengthen the existing cancer treatment facilities, to provide palliative and terminal cancer care, to promote research in cancer (and) to interact with national, international, government, professional bodies and non-governmental organizations.”

Addressing the gathering Godrej recalled his own mother struggled with cancer some years ago. He remembered that the late Nariman Kaikhasru Dhabhar after whom the trust is named joined Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited as an accountant and was eventually appointed to the board of directors.

"He was the most humble person in the company,” recalled Godrej adding that Dhabhar "always got his way. I worked with him and when we disagreed he would first try to persuade me and if I didn’t agree he would tell me it had to be that (his) way.” He added that Dhabhar’s predecessor, the late Khurshed Bardy, was "such a tartar,” in contrast Nariman was a "sea change.”

Godrej noted that the house of Tatas had just opened a new cancer hospital in Calcutta and also made reference to the good work the Tata Memorial Hospital has been doing in Bombay. "I will request my co-trustees on the Pirojsha Godrej Foundation to donate generously” to the Dhabhar trust, he added.

Clockwise from top: Pouruchisti Dhabhar, Villie Daruvala, Jeyhan Dhabhar, Asha Michigan (compere), Jamshyd and Pheroza Godrej,Nadir Modi, Ujwal Nikam; other invitees: Nekcheher and Hoshang Sinor and Homai Daruwalla,

The NKDCF is founded by Nariman’s surviving family members especially his son Dr Boman, a noted oncologist. The trustees are Pouruchisti B. Dhabhar, hospital administrator and onco psychotherapist, Villie N. Daruvala, consultant training and communication, Sanjula K. Luthra, microbiologist, Jeyhan B. Dhabhar, MBBS student.

Boman’s wife Pouruchisti told the gathering "making the trust was an ordeal in itself.” She received the trust papers only on June 2, nine months after starting the process. "I refused to leave the office of the Charity Commissioner till he signed the papers.” Boman’s son Jeyhan termed his grandfather "a friend in the truest sense. I was an only child but I never felt the need of a sibling.” His grandfather took him to the agiary every evening, an outing the boy found dull but then to pacify the young boy took him to the Five Gardens at Dadar. "He dropped me and picked me up every day from school. He used to iron my school uniform. We have done so much together but I did not tell him I loved him,” not seeing the need for doing so at the time. "He was a gem of a human being” and now his guiding angel.

With Nariman’s assistance Boman started an oncology clinic is September 1994 with the help of the Jussawalla family at Dadar, noted Pouruchisti. Cancer "is the leading cause of death worldwide,” she noted. "There are seven lakh new cases in India every year.”

A section of audience at the launch

Noted lawyer Ujwal Nikam who successfully prosecuted terrorist Ajmal Kasab, spoke of Boman’s "commitment to the cause he believes in. Have firm beliefs in your action,” he advised the gathering. He also referred to the string of litigation facing hospital and medical practitioners and assured the Dhabhar family that "my services are there to help you out.”

Terming Boman "the Sachin Tendulkar of oncology,” reputed lawyer Nadir Modi said that the doctor, like Sachin "needs a team.” Doctors and lawyers are in great demand when difficulties arise. But after they are sorted out "the lawyers are forgotten and the doctors slighted.” He urged the gathering not to forsake Dhabhar.

Modi noted the NKDCF trust deed termed cancer "a ‘dreaded disease.’ "Cancer is not to be dreaded, but combated,” advised the lawyer. "If you take it for granted it is a death sentence.”

Addressing the gathering Boman said, "My father was completely a Godrej man. He must be a happy man seeing so many Godrej people here.” He termed trustee Daruvala "a motivating factor in the formation of the trust” with the initiative for forming the trust coming from the late structural engineer Ram Vaswani.