When he was in Class 10, Aditya received the most devastating news of his life. His mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. However, his mother’s will and conviction kept him hopeful, until 2020. The cancer returned with a vengeance, spreading to her right lung, liver and bones. With no help from relatives or other sources, Aditya and his family turned to set up a crowdfunding campaign. They have raised over Rs. 7,00,000 and the donations are still pouring in.
This is one of the many stories regarding how families are benefiting from crowdfunding when faced with expensive treatments for breast-cancer. Here’s how you can help too.
What is crowdfunding and how does it work for breast cancer treatment?
The concept of crowdfunding is catching on quite rapidly in India. The idea of crowdfunding is simple. You tap into the financial power of the masses to raise funds for education, medical emergencies and other causes.
Among medical fundraisers, cancer is one of the leading causes because it is expensive to treat. In the case of women, breast cancer is the most common medical cause featured in campaigns on online crowdfunding platforms. In India, breast cancer accounts for 27% of the cancer types detected in women [1]. It is also the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women.
Why Indians are turning to crowdfunding for breast cancer treatment
Breast cancer can be easily treated at earlier stages. Then, why is it still one of the most life-threatening issues that women face?
The number one issue with breast cancer is that it is often detected very late. Almost 60% of these cases are detected at an advanced stage [2]. In rural India, especially, the lack of awareness and resources make it harder to catch the disease in the initial stages. In addition to this, there is a lot of stigma associated with this medical condition. Underreporting is noticed in almost 50% of the cases, leading to a diagnosis only in the late stages [3].
As a result, the expenses associated with the treatment also increase. Late detection increases the expenses by about 1.5-2 times. For middle and lower income families, this is a situation that is almost impossible to recover from.
Some families also have to deal with recurring tumors, as in the case of Aditya mentioned above. This is when they have already exhausted all their funds in the initial stages of treatment.
There is more. In India, the prevalence of breast cancer among younger women is also on the rise. Currently, the median age of breast cancer detection is 46 years [3]. It is steadily declining. In fact, the incidence of breast cancer in younger women is much higher in comparison to the rest of the world.
What does this mean in terms of financial repercussions? Let us cite the case of Madhumita Halder, a 36-year-old detected with grade 3 breast cancer. She has a child who is 2 years old. Picture a young family trying to get their finances in place being faced with an expense of close to Rs.20,00,000. Even with relatives and family members contributing generously, this amount is well out of the reach of most middle class families. And, cancer requires immediate treatment.
So, her husband, Shibendra Haldar, turned to an online crowdfunding platform.
Benefits of crowdfunding for breast cancer treatment
Fundraising on platforms have given several families a second chance to save the lives of their loved ones. There are other benefits associated with choosing crowdfunding platforms as well:
- Better reach
More than 50% of India’s population are active users of the internet. There are no geographic restrictions either. You can make a donation from any part of the world. Reaching out has become much easier with the advent of social media.
- Faster than other financial options
With consistent promotional activities by platform, people are becoming more aware of crowdfunding. Given the reach and the philanthropic nature of the general population, getting a good response and reaching a financial goal are much easier. It is also faster than alternatives like loans or raising funds on your own.
- Keeps your dignity
Asking for financial assistance from friends or relatives is not easy. An online crowdfunding platform allows you to get the funds you need, without feeling like you are actually asking for help. It is also important to remember that breast cancer is a difficult subject for most families to discuss openly.
- Online funding platforms are reliable
Crowdfunding platforms ensure that your payments are secured with 128-bit encryption. Data is protected and donations are safe. So you can go ahead and make donations without any security lapse and data leakage concerns.
How to set up a fundraising campaign for breast cancer
If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer or know someone who is suffering from it, you can set up a fundraising campaign easily.
The first step is to find a reliable platform. Here are some simple tips:
- Make sure that the donation fees to set up the campaign are low. Who charges 0% platform fees for medical fundraisers.
- You should be able to accept payments from all sources, domestic and international. Also offers multiple payment options to make it easier for donors to contribute to a cause of their choice.
- Make sure that the platform offers tax benefits under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act of India.
- The platform should have a high success rate. You can review the campaigns that they have previously run on their platform.
- The UI should be easy for you and the donors to use.
Setting up the campaign
You can set up a campaign in a few simple steps:
- Share your story and upload all your documents: You will have to share some information on the funds you are looking to raise and the type of treatment. Then you must upload the following documents to verify your campaign:
- A medical certificate and medical bills signed by the doctor
- ID card of the patient such as the Aadhar card
- ID card of the campaigner
- Share the campaign: Once it is set up on the platform, you can share the campaign with friends and family and on social media.
- Withdraw the funds: You can easily withdraw funds into your bank account once the goal is reached.
Things to keep in mind while raising a donation via crowdfunding platforms
- Share a compelling story.
- Make sure that you promote it well to gain maximum reach.
- Ensure that you set a target amount that is easy to reach. If you fail to reach the goal in the specified time, then funds are returned to the donors.
The most important thing in breast cancer crowdfunding is to find the best online crowdfunding platform. If you want to donate to a cause, you should be careful about choosing the right platform. Select the best platforms to provide financial help to cancer patients in India. Visit best online crowdfunding platform and make your valuable donations NOW.
