About Us

Our Team

 

  • Mr. Rajeev Raju, President
  • Mr. Thanmaya Bekkalale, Secretary
  • Mr. Aravind Seshadri, Treasurer
  • Mrs. Sushma Subramanyam, Joint Sec.
  • Mrs. Priya Rajeev
  • Mrs. Josephine Joseph
  • Mrs. Ramya Aravind
  • Mr. Ramji Govindarajan

 

When Irfan's (one of the kids we support) family faced a dead end in his eye cancer treatment due to lack of money, a good samaritan who was present at the hospital that day responded by helping Irfan's family with financial aid to their great relief. This timely aid saved Irfan's vision and life. This gave us an opportunity to think of the possibilities of several such cases stumbling into want of financial aid and the need to stand for the cause. Thus was born the Iksha Foundation with a dream to support every child who has been afflicted with eye cancer, especially the poor and the under privileged.

We at Iksha believe that no child should ever lose eyesight or face death to this type of childhood cancer that has one of the best cure rates. No family should have to go through the unspeakable pain of losing a child.

 

About Retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is a life threatening eye cancer that affects children. The cancer grows from the retina, which is a sensory layer located inside the eye. Retinoblastoma is a silent tumour, most often detected too late to save the eye. In less fortunate children, the tumour affects both their eyes. In early stages of the disease, the eye looks normal externally. As the cancer progresses, it may be observed by the parents as a white mass from within the eye. This is often missed in the Indian population, and the cancer progresses. Eventually, the eye becomes painful, red and swollen. Once the cancer spreads outside the eye, it becomes a threat to life, especially when it spreads to the brain and other parts of the body.

Retinoblastoma Facts:

  • Everyday, four children are born with retinoblastoma in India.
  • 92% of children with retinoblastoma live in developing nations.
  • Retinoblastoma kills over 7,000 youngsters each year, mostly due to late diagnosis.
  • Globally, approximately 1 in 15,000 children is affected by retinoblastoma.
  • In nations with poor healthcare facilities, about 80% of the children affected by retinoblastoma lose their lives.
  • In nations with good healthcare facilities, less than 5% of the children affected by retinoblastoma lose their lives.

 

What We Do

 

When a child has been diagnosed with Retinoblastoma and is being treated by a hospital where we have a tie-up, the doctors will send us a formal request for support in the agreed format, where they provide details of the child, the diagnosis, treatment needed, cost of treatment and the parents financial situation. Based on the request, members from Iksha meet the child and parents to ascertain more details and get a first person account. The members then take a collective group decision on whether or not Iksha will fund the treatment. If Iksha decides to treat the child, a letter of support is sent to the hospital and we pay the bills as soon as they are raised.

 

We have not been approached directly by any parents yet, but if there is such a case, our phone, email and address are on the website and they can approach us directly, after which we will do our due diligence and determine the next course of action.

 

Iksha receives donations from individuals donors who are contacted through the network of Iksha's members. The network has included Iksha Foundation members family, friends, well--wishers and philanthropists who heard about the work Iksha was doing though the internet or word of mouth. Iksha has also raised funds and awareness by participating in fund raising events like World 10K run that takes place in Bangalore each year.