About Us
Sahaayika is a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping cancer patients. Sahaayika was founded in 2007 and is registered under section 12AA of the Income Tax Act, 1961, as a public charitable trust.
We provide financial assistance and support medical care for persons diagnosed with or undergoing treatment for cancer, especially women and children. We support patients through various stages of their journey with cancer with the hope that they can continue to enjoy their quality of life and live their life to the fullest, even while battling the disease.
Our Mission
- To provide financial support and assistance for persons challenged by the diagnosis or treatment of cancer.
- To give special attention to financial requirements of children and young persons with cancer.
- To counsel families of patients to help them cope with the stresses of rallying around a patient.
- To provide psycho-social, legal and other forms of support to cancer patients and to help them rejoin mainstream society.
- To support institutions and hospitals that provide free detection and treatment of cancer for the poor.
- To work in conjunction and close co-operation with other NGO’s who may have aims similar to that of the trust.
Our Trustees
Krishnan Sudheendran
Co-founder and Chairman
An engineering professional, Sudheendran is the co-founder of Sahaayika and Chairman of the trust. He is responsible for structuring Sahaayika’s current activities.
Sumathi Ramesh
Managing Trustee
Sumathi hails from a family of dedicated volunteers serving the cause of cancer. She is actively involved in counseling cancer patients at Adayar Cancer Institute and Sahaayika’s day-to-day activities.
Dr Vikash Mahajan
Trustee
Dr. Vikash Mahajan is a surgical oncologist trained at Adayar Cancer Institute (WIA). He is the Director of Madras Cancer Care Foundation and a senior consultant at Apollo Speciality and Kumaran Hospitals.
Amrita Sudheendran
Trustee
A technology professional & Computer science engineer from BITS Pilani, Amrita looks after the Mumbai chapter of Sahaayika assisting with financial support of cancer patients undergoing treatment at Tata Memorial Hospital.
Our Inspiration
Girija Sudheendran, the inspiration behind the creation of Sahaayika, had battled and conquered cancer at the early age of 30. Ever since, she made it her life’s mission to help cancer patients by counseling them & their families and supporting them financially through their journey. Sahaayika was born out of her concern for cancer patients who needed help.
Girija is no more with us today but her spirit inspires us to continue the initiative that was close to her heart.