Bhaichung to lead walk for cancer patients

Kolkata, Jan 5: With an aim to help the poor cancer patients, a fund raising event called "Walk-for-A-Cause" with former India footballer Bhaichung Bhutia as its goodwill ambassador has been announced.

The walk organised by North East Officers Professionals Welfare Association (NEOPWA), a non-government and non-profit organisation, will help raise funds to help cancer patients from the north-east coming to Kolkata for treatment at Tata Medical Center.

The walkathon will be held on January 10, starting from the ground adjacent to the Territorial Officers Institute near Park Street Crossing, NEOPWA secretary Amitabha Gan Chaudhuri told reporters on Tuesday.

"It's an honourable cause and hopefully we can help lots of people, specially the cancer patients," former Indian captain Bhutia said.

The Indian football legend also mentioned that his father was also a cancer patient who died on December 6, 2012.

"As my father was a cancer patient himself, so this is something very close to my heart and I'm very happy to be part of it."

Chaudhuri later added that the initiative is the first ever taken to help patients from the north-east.

"Walkathon is our first noble attempt for a divine cause to support the underprivileged cancer patients coming from north-east."

"It is also to build awareness among the people of Kolkata and north-east about the deadliest face and perils of cancer. NEOPWA pledges to donate major portion of the amount collected to Tata Medical Center, Kolkata, to support all the poor cancer patients coming from north-east for treatment at their hospital."