Padmashri Dr.Ramakant Deshpande conferred the Game Changer Award by The HR Club

New Delhi, Feb 16, 2015:The HR Club, the largest organization of Human Resource professionals in India, recognized noteworthy contributions of individuals who are visionaries in their sphere of activity and are an inspiration for the nation. The Game Changers award was presented to these individuals at the 5^th National Conference of The HR Club at Mumbai on Saturday February 07.

Padmashri Dr.Ramakant Deshpande was honoured for his pioneering contribution to cancer research.

The session started with a silent video on cancer. The message of the video was that ‘No one can steal your happiness, not even cancer’.

In life we face many obstacles. Cancer too is an obstacle that we have to overcome. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict. likewise cancer is a conflict that we need to resolve and not a disease that we have to fear. Cancer doesn’t touch our heart, mind and soul. We are masters of our own happiness.

Dr.Ramakant Deshpande in his address to the elite audience shared how most cases of cancer would prove fatal in the 70’s. However, today 30% of the cases get cured. It is just a matter of time, according to him, before 60-70% of cases can be cured with the coordinated efforts of the health sectors viz., the pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, doctors and research organisations. He cited the example of how at one point of time, people could not think of reaching out to another planet but today it is happening. Similarly, 70% of cancer cases will be cured in the near future.

5% of cancer are genetic. Today we can genetically map an individual. He shared how a 3 billion dollar gnome project that spanned 15 years was completed in 2002. They found that there were 40,000 genes and now can specifically identify the genetic abnormalities. He shared how the Asian Institute of Oncology is undertaking a lot of genetic research. Though there is no genome panel for Indian population, Dr.Deshpande explained that this is a mammoth research effort which will go on for several years.

Dr.Deshpande told the audience of CEOs, Business Heads and the HR Heads that the Asian Institute of Oncology has a tissue repository where the tumour cells are stored and they can be studied in detail.

Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are commonly done. But the cutting edge is basic research, epidemological findings.

Dr.Deshpande took a dig at India trying to move from a developing country to a developed country. “With progress comes problems”, “In the USA, we have 350 people out of every one lakh who get cancer during their lifetime. The same proposition is less than one fourth in our country as of today because we are not at a developmental level of the United States. However, today we have 1.1 million of our population getting cancer every year. This is likely to double in the next 10 years and quadruple in next 20 years. “

“Our annual National budget is almost around 35000 crores. The cost of meeting the cancer care for the current need is 15000 crores which no government can bear. Therefore, our motto while doing cancer research is Quality cancer care at affordable costs” said Dr.Deshpande.

When asked about how corporates can participate in spreading cancer awareness and in cancer care, Dr.Deshpande acknowledged that corporates have always been playing an active role but there is plenty that can still be done. According to him, Cancer awareness should be top priority and the social stigma associated with cancer has to go. He strongly called for not celebrating cancer survivors as winners because just as stigma is bad, the so called eulogizing of cancer survivors is equally bad.

Cancer has direct relation with etiology. Tobacco accounts for 30-40% of cancers in India. Those cancers are not US or any of the developed countries for example oral cancer. Dr.Deshpande appealed to the elite audience of CEOs, Business Heads and HR Heads that ideally there should be no tobacco. If tobacco is banned the incidences of cancer will not raise to great propositions in future. Corporates could also support in educational programmes according to Dr.Deshpande.

A large proportion of our population, still can’t afford cancer care. In a hand-to-mouth existence, quite often ladies in villages do not tell the head of the family that there is a lump in their breast. It is neglected cancer that kills. So corporate needs to support education, support awareness and have regular programme for their employees. Corporates can also tie-up with research institutes for cancer detection camps. Today only 10-15% of patients have insurance cover so health insurance is the need of the hour.

Citing statistics about how 75% of Tata Memorials costs of treating cancer is funded by the Government, Dr.Deshpande appealed to the industry veterans present in the audience to establish Chairs so that the compensation for the doctors can come from the corpus that is established. That’s where the corporate social responsibility comes in. Its not only money. Corporates can also help in voluntary work and counseling.

Unlike the developed countries where the population that is hit by the cancer is in the age group of 60-70, most of our patients are in the 40s or early 50s where their children are still studying. We need to accept that the moment the malignancy is diagnosed, it is going to be a battle and the battle will continue for few years. Cancer also affects the families of the patients. India doesn’t have many psychiatric counselors to break the bad news in a sensitive way because it is considered as superfluous requirement. We need more of them.

When asked how good are alternative medicines for cancer, Dr. Deshpande explained that unlike allopathy, there is not much validation for alternative medicine. He acknowledge Shushruta, father of surgery, could do surgery way back as 600 BC. Micro Vascular surgery existed at that time too but we have lost the link of validation. Dr.Deshpande told the audience that he had not seen a single case of someone being cured of cancer by alternative medicine in his entire 32 years of medical practice. He added that he does not restrict the patient from trying out any alternative medicines since it gives them a psychological solace. However, he warns them not to stop the allopathy medicines and the cancer treatment as it would be dangerous.

The other awardees who were conferred the Game Changer award at The HR Club’s 5^th National Conference on February 7 included Dr. Abhijeet Barse, CEO, Slum Soccer and Mr.Nagabhushana founder Namanam Trust. Dilip Chenoy , MD & CEO, National Skill Development Corporation was one of the awardees while Mr.Sonam Wangchuk was recognized for bringing about educational reforms in Ladakh.

Mr. Asit Kumar Modi, MD, Neela Telefilms (of the Tarak Mehta ka Olta Chashma fame) was honoured for breaking the saas-bahu serial monopoly with lovable family comedies and also being the ambassador for Swach Bharat Abyan. Kamal Kumar of Dhanuka Agritech Limited was honoured for his notable contribution to agri business while N K Chaudhary, Chairman, Jaipur Rugs was recognized for his unique socially responsible business model.