On February 4th, in observance of World Cancer Day, the Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation, News18 Network, and Tata Trusts, in collaboration with Fortis released a short film titled #YaadRakheinScreenKarein.
This film is part of the Sanjeevani initiative, aimed at fostering dialogues about cancer, eliminating misconceptions and promoting early screening in combating the illness.
In India, the concerning figure of one in nine people at risk of developing cancer during their lifetime becomes more urgent, especially with the expected rise in cases from 14.6 lakh in 2022 to 15.7 lakh in 2025, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Cancer Registry Programme (ICMR-NCRP). Furthermore, a study conducted in 2020 pinpointed delayed diagnosis as the primary reason behind cancer-related fatalities in the nation.
Based on this insight, the film seeks to prompt every Indian to reflect on the importance of cancer screening in their everyday lives. Amid the shared obsession with screens such as smartphones, TVs or laptops, the film encourages viewers to acknowledge the most crucial screen of all: the one reflecting their health.
Speaking on the campaign, M V S Murthy, Chief Marketing Officer, Federal Bank said, “There is tremendous effort happening on the other side of cancer. Unfortunately, at advanced stages, it feels all in vain. Through Sanjeevani we are giving life more than a fair chance of putting up a strong fight by promoting early detection. There are two intertwining aspects that we want all of us to commit ourselves to – an annual health check-up and in that an add-on of cancer screening. Sanjeevani has both width and depth of effort, as it works in the intersection of patient support, on ground screening across corporates and large communities and finally on building commitment to self-care by screening annually. Championing the cause beyond Sanjeevani, Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation, in partnership with Tata Cancer Care Foundation and Assam Cancer Care Foundation, has extended support to over 1900 families in a short span of a few weeks. When it comes to cancer, more is less.”
Puneet Singhvi, CEO, digital, and president, corporate strategy, Network18, commented , “Using communication tools such as this social experiment film is an excellent method of creating emotional connections and influencing behavioural changes”. He further added that it is hoped this film will break the stigma and act as a compelling reminder for the audience to schedule their cancer screening beforehand.
Deepshikha Goel Surendran, head of brand and marketing communications, Tata Trusts, expressed that their primary goal is to shift the ratio of late to early cancer detection from 70 to 30, aligning with international standards. “Through the film, as part of our partnership for ‘Sanjeevani, United Against Cancer’, we hope to lay emphasis on the significance of regular screening using a thought-provoking lever that we hope will inspire introspection and help to move the needle on early detection”, said Surendran.
In September 2023, the Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation, News 18 Network and Tata Trusts collaboratively launched the initiative ‘Sanjeevani-United Against Cancer’. The newly released #YaadRakheinScreenKarien film extends this initiative, empowering individuals with knowledge and promoting national unity in the battle against cancer.