Asalam o Alaikum,
Every year, the month of Ramadan brings a new season of hope for the thousands of poor cancer patients being treated at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, as well as for their families. It is a continuing challenge to provide cancer care to the ever-growing number of cancer patients we see at the hospital.
I long to see the day when we will no longer turn away even a single patient for lack of resources. This Ramadan, I am proud to share with you three significant milestones in the continued development of the Shaukat Khanum Healthcare System that have been achieved over the past twelve months. The first was the commencement of outpatient chemotherapy delivery facilities at our Diagnostic Centre & Clinic (KDC&C) in Karachi in late 2010, where we have seen a slow but steady increase in the number of poor cancer patients from the south of the country being given free cancer treatment. The second is the commencement of planning and initial construction work on the new Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre in Peshawar, where we have already completed work on the boundary wall. The last is the eminent inauguration of our third inpatient unit, which will be a major increase in the hospital's inpatient capacity. In the first phase, this will comprise 46 additional beds, together with ancillary facilities and, with the completion of the second phase, this will lead to a virtual doubling of our current inpatient capacity.
I congratulate all of you who have made it possible for us to complete this project for the extension of the inpatient facilities in the holy month of Ramadan. This expansion project will be able to accommodate an unprecedented number of poor cancer patients from this year, if you also provide unprecedented support in the form of Zakat.
I know the pain of losing a loved one to cancer and it has been my hope and dream that no one goes through this pain. The hospital's budget this year is Rs 3.6 billion, or Rs 360 crore, half of which we hope to raise through your Zakat and donations. I hope you will once again open your hearts to help make a difference for all those whose survival depends on your generosity. I ask you to join me in dreaming of a better tomorrow for all of us. With my warmest personal regards,
Imran Khan Chairman Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust