More than being the cricketer who Hit six sixes in a row in T20, picked the Man of the Series trophy in 2011 World Cup and being a cricketer who youngsters looked up to – Yuvraj Singh is A cancer survivor. He made a smashing comeback and proved that ‘if you have the will, there’s no stopping for you’. On World Cancer Day, Yuvraj opens up about how through YouWeCan (YWC) Foundation, founded in 2013, he’s trying to create awareness about cancer and touch lives of millions who suffer from this deadly disease.
Over the years, YWC has built a large dedicated team to implement programs to help them achieve their core objectives of driving cancer awareness, facilitating early detection and providing patient support. Yuvi feels lack of awareness is a huge issue. About 15 lakh new cancer cases are reported each year and 70% are at advanced stages.
It’s mainly due to lack of awareness and early detection facilities, YWC is working hard to address this. In rural areas, they had observed that once children overcome cancer, it’s tough for them to go back to school because of fear in the family and stigma in society. The team is addressing this issue through a targeted scholarship program for cancer survivor students and also provide counseling to the family. On his last birthday, Yuvraj made a pledge to support over 100 children suffering from cancer.
