Famous Bollywood actress and Chief Guest, Manisha Koirala, stated today, "As I look back on my life, I have played 3 major roles. First, a daughter, second an actress... and the third, cancer crusader. I don't like being called a survivor, it is too meek. We should all be cancer crusaders." Miss Koirala, a cancer survivor herself, praised BTF's efforts to help improve cancer care in Nepal.

Over 300 delegates from 12 countries, including Nepal, Pakistan, Australia, USA, India, China, Poland, Turkey, Czechoslovakia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Bangladesh attended the educational and scientific sessions today that focused on the recent developments in the diagnosis and management of various forms of cancer.

Although there is no official data on blood cancer incidences in Nepal, an estimated 800 patients with various forms of blood cancers are diagnosed in Nepal's cancer hospitals each year. The figure is estimated to be much higher in the country as many patients remain undiagnosed due to lack of access to healthcare.

BTF and the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System have partnered with the Civil Service Hospital of Kathmandu, Nepal, in a project to develop the country's first Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Center. A BMT facility in Kathmandu will serve thousands of patients from Nepal and neighboring states of India.

Binaytara Foundation (BTF) is an Illinois-based, 501(c)3 non-profit organization. BTF charitable projects include medical research grants and the application of telemedicine to serve patients in third world countries. For more information on BTF projects, visit www.binayfoundation.org.