Tendulkar allies with Aster DM Foundation to support children with cancer, heart diseases

Kochi : The Aster DM Foundation announced a partnership with legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to help young patients suffering from cancer and heart ailments in young patients.

Each year, this alliance will support the treatment of 50 young patients under the age of 18 years.

Through the 'Aster DM Foundation Partnership scheme', the Aster DM Foundation will subsidise the cardiac surgery and cancer treatment of the young patients, with the rest of the expenditure being taken care of by the respective Aster Hospital.

The patient's family may need to bear only a minor amount. The Aster DM Foundation Partnership scheme would run for an initial period of four years.

The Aster super-specialty hospitals including Aster Medcity in Kochi, Aster MIMS in Calicut and Aster CMI Hospital in Bangalore will be participating in delivering the benefits of this unique scheme to the young patients.

Dr. Azad Moopen, Chairman & Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare and Founder & Managing Trustee, Aster DM Foundation said, "Sachin's love for the state of Kerala and his association through various initiatives like his football team is well known. The people of the state have always showered love and affection on Sachin and this has prompted the great batsman to give back to the deserving people of the state. The Aster DM Foundation is honoured to partner with Sachin Tendulkar in helping the children from marginalized sections of society face dreaded diseases like cancer and heart disease and avail the best treatment without their family worrying about finances."

The Aster super-specialty hospitals, including Aster Medcity in Kochi, Aster MIMS in Calicut and Aster CMI Hospital in Bangalore will be participating in delivering the benefits of this unique scheme to the young patients. Over the next four years, the Aster DM Foundation Partnership scheme will help 200 deserving children suffering from cancer and heart disease and give them a chance to live a normal life. For further details, families of patients can contact the respective Aster hospital in their city.

Meanwhile, Tendulkar said, "Having been associated with the Aster DM Healthcare group has given me an insight into the noble work done by the hospitals in restoring patients to health. There are many young patients who are unable to access the best of treatment due to financial problems. Extending my association through partnering with the Aster DM Foundation gives me the opportunity to help these young children get the benefit of modern advanced medical science to fight against heart disease and cancer."

The scheme has already benefited its first young patient with Rijo Jonson, an infant from Kuruvilangad, a small village in Kottayam District undergoing free heart surgery for a congenital heart defect.

Born prematurely at seven months, the infant lost his mother due to complications of childbirth.

The father, a driver, handed over the child to a children's home run by the Christian Sisters as he found it difficult to take care of the premature child with health issues. The Sisters took the child for a check up to Aster Medcity in Kochi, where an Echo test revealed a hole in the heart.