At a time when people are actively busy minting money in the name of charity, there are a few names that are trying to do something worthwhile for the needy people. One such name that tops the list is that of Dr. Saira Khan.
A philanthropist and a humane lady is how one can best define Dr. Saira Actively involved in the betterment of the women of our society, Saira takes after both her parents; her father who was a philanthropist and her mother who would go out on New Year’s eve, rather to help out the poor than to attend balls.
She still recalls an incident of those years, “My mother had distributed the blankets on the night of 31st December but when she returned to the spot the next day she was met by a woman who was in tears. On inquiry she revealed that the blanket that my mother had given them the previous night had been stolen by someone else.”
Such then were the surroundings, where to help the poor, and other such values, were instilled in her as a child. The result of which was the desire in her young heart to treat the sick and suffering, especially the victims of cancer.
“As a student I had realized that cancer is the most traumatic disease where the entire family suffers with the patient. In the early 80s there was no cure for cancer. It was so heart rending when I would see the suffering of these patients, so much so that they would be screaming with pain for their acute condition.”
That was the point when she decided to do something for the tormented. Women, she felt, were always the neglected sector, a place where her attention was most needed. She was born in Charsadda in the Frontier Province and was fully aware of the harsh treatment of women in rural areas.
Apart from helping the helpless women, her biggest ambition was to set-up a comprehensive campaign for the early detection of cancer.
Once decided she set out on a never ending journey of creating awareness in people in general and women in particular about the fatal disease.
Together with a group of like minded friends, she established The Medical Aid Foundation that was later to blossom into an active NGO.
It was under the banner of the foundation that she took her banner of the foundation entourage to the Interior Sindh and other far-flung and neglected areas of Pakistan, to set up camps where medical service were made available to the practically abandoned people.
Having worked at the Jinnah Hospital’s Cancer Ward voluntarily for almost 18 years she was best equipped to take on such a major task.
“Those were the time when breast cancer was a topic that was best not discussed. When I used to arrange camps even in Karachi I would be sitting under the banners that were there for information everyone that a camp had been set up for detection and prevention of breast cancer in women. Women, and I do not mean the poor, but the well-to-do would show their disapproval for me sitting and discussing something so hush-hush publicy. That has been the norm here. Even when we have gone to the settlements in the remote areas we have always had to be extra careful when discussing the topic of breast cancer. When our society even the educated behave in such a backward manner, how then can there be awareness about a disease as fatal as cancer, says the visible disturbed Saira.
In 1991 she set up her next big venture Rahat Kada, a hospice and treatment centre for the terminally ill cancer patients.
“We make at least fourteen visits every year to distant area where we are on the look out for cancer patients to treat them and to bring them to my centre where they can spend their last days in comparatively less pain and agony.
“It is so distressing the way people are dying there like animals. Our aim is to provide relief to the sufferers. For this purpose we visit the patients in their homes and provide our services to them. I don’t believe in waiting for people to get to us rather we go to the patients ourselves.”
Dr. Saira has an impressive team of volunteer specialists and doctors whose help she constantly enlists for her camps and also at the headquarters.
This dedicated lady has been entrenched in activities that are targeted towards the social welfare of the woman. She poignantly feels for the women of our country. Who, she believes suffer the most.
It is for the sake of this deprived lot that Saira is determined to bring about chance for the mothers of today and tomorrow.
“Education is what is basically lacking which leads to all sorts of problems.”
For instance cancer is a disease that was not so common in our country a decade back. Why is it on the increase now, I asked? “It has been there for almost two thousand years but only recently it is being diagnosed.”
Why is that more and more women suffering from breast cancer, is a thought that comes to my mind.
“Because the woman of today is looking up to the west for inspiration and has learned not to breast feed her child. I am not talking about the affluent but even women from the lower classes do not want to do something that a woman has been doing for eons. She has found the easy way out to feed her child and that is to use the bottle. The unhealthy conditions are the culprit in this case. She would conveniently be oblivious to the exposed bottle that has been home for flies and other such insects. The minute her child cries she picks up the bottle and puts it in the baby’s mouth disregarding the fact that she needs to sterlise it first. Ignorance of health issues in today’s mother is what is basically lacking. How then can we be a healthy people as a nation?”
Rahat Kada is at present one of the most actively functioning charity units that is offering complete faculties for diagnosing and treating women suffering from cancer. Some time back Saira and her team were granted a piece of land near Marina Club by the DHA for setting up a bigger version of Rahat Kada, but when she tried to get that started Dr. Saira was informed that she had to first pay an amount of 48 lacs then only would she be able to proceed with her charitable plans. Since she felt she could not pay the amount, her plans have come to a stand still. “We will leave no stone unturned in our aim to establish another centre for the terminally-ill patient” She says
Other than a philanthropist, she is also a sportswoman, one who has been a source of pride for her nation.
“I was always into sports since my school days. But the time I was in college I was a tennis champion.” But she had to put a stop to most of her outdoor activities once she got married and later had kids.
But in 1984 she made a comeback and won the ICI National Championship. She was back in action thrashing all those who came her way making up for lost time.
All along, she felt the need for an association for the female tennis players of Pakistan. So in 1991, “I finally managed to form an association for women but I was discouraged on the grounds that none of the other countries had an association for women tennis players. I contested that, fought for my association and finally in 2001 succeeded in getting my point across The Pakistan Tennis Federation now has a women’s wing that I am chairing.”
But she strongly feels the neglect to the national tennis federation as well as the official sector towards the children who want to play the sport. “There is no help from the government whatsoever. Youngsters who have made it so far have done so with the support and backing of their parents no thanks to the federation.”
So much so that to make the holding of the David Cup final in Peshawar in 2002 a possibility she worked very hard alongside a close friend, Dr. Sarwat. “We even got presents for the Chinese team that we had brought our selves,” she reveals.
If you thought that was finally the end well we have more for you. Dr. Saira Khan has for the last two year been learning classical music. She has also set up a musical NGO by the name of Mauseeqar the aim of which is to promote and project classics, music along with reviving obsolete musical instruments like Jaltarang and Sarangi. Not only that but she has and will continue supporting and helping musicians of our country who are now in dire straits.
Not fully satisfied doing all she has done so far, this multifaceted lady now planning to establish an animal care centre, where she has done so much for the humanity a step toward helping the helpless animals is more appreciated. Wouldn’t the world be better place if we had more such has mane beings amidst us? |
