Former Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu unveiled a book titled ‘Live For A Legacy’, a Perspective of a Cancer Surgeon, Dr. Chinnababu Sunkavalli in a function held at Hotel Daspalla on Wednesday evening. The book was written as narrated to, Mr. Arun Tiwari
Early detection, daily exercise, and eating good food are important for a healthy body and mind. He told doctors to take time out on weekends and travel to neighbourhoods and rural areas to create awareness about cancer and healthy lifestyles. People will listen to doctors.
Cancer is not a death sentence anymore. With the latest technology, we need not worry. There are the latest technologies, competent doctors and hospitals available to treat cancer, he said.
He stressed healthy eating habits. Nowadays kitchens have become inactive and people prefer instant food. If you eat instant food, you will get constant diseases, he said. He stressed eating indigenous food.
I am retired but not yet tired. I prefer going to meetings to get inspired, Venkaiah Naidu added.
We live to leave and what we leave behind will live on in the hearts of those whom we touch with our living. This is as exciting as fearful. For India to have better cancer survival rates we all need to collectively work to prevent and detect early, said Dr. Chinnababu in his opening remarks.
Death by Cancer has reduced by 33% in Western countries due to early detection, awareness and good technologies and medication, Dr Chinnababu said.
Prof Arun Tiwari the co-author said Dr Abdul Kalam advised him to write a book every year, which I never thought I would do, but it is happening now. This is my 25th book. He advised people to follow my elders' advice. We become what we are because of our teachers.
The book provides the science behind the evolution of cancer over a hundred years and leaves hope and optimism. It talks about options available for treatment and ways to contain it. The WHO set the Goal of Cervical Cancer Elimination by 2030 to vaccinate 90% of girls by 15 years of age against the HPV and 190 countries are signatories to the declaration. One chapter in the book dealt with HPV Vaccine human papillomavirus).
More than 190 countries are signatories to this declaration and have committed to the achievement of the Targets, set as follows: The first is for 90% of girls to be fully vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) by the age of 15 years.
The book establishes the purpose of life as a legacy, introduces the science behind cancer in a conscious and easy-to-understand manner, oversees present and emerging treatment scenarios and takes away the fear of the dreaded malady of cancer.
Dr. Chinnababu Sunkavalli is a Robotic Cancer Surgeon, researcher and social entrepreneur. He has crafted a spectrum of legacy already from cutting-edge cancer treatment to emerging bio-pharmaceutical research to mobile cancer diagnostics units in rural areas.
Prof. Arun Tiwari is a former missile scientist, a pioneer of civilian spinoffs of defence technology in India, an earnest pupil of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the 11th President of India and the co-author of his autobiography Wings of Fire, celebrated as a modern classic. This is his 25th book.
The Foreword of the book is written by Bart S. Fisher, an International Attorney and Philanthropist. He is working with Dr. Chinnababu Sunkavalli and the Grace Cancer Foundation to establish a bone marrow transplant registry in India as a resource to treat marrow failure diseases such as leukaemia and thalassemia. He writes Cancer which remains unconquered now is likely to turn in future into another chronic disease rather than a fatal one taking lives.
Dr. Chinnababu has made developing an affordable HPV vaccine a part of his legacy. I will be supporting it in due course, Bart S. Fisher wrote in the preface.
Bart writes that it is a must to read books, not only medical fraternity but everyone whom the cancer touched in some way or the other. The book offers a positive outlook for the future of cancer treatment.
The message of the book is abundantly clear to make society get involved in the cancer treatment of the poor and their rehabilitation, he added.
India has the tradition of taking care of the boor by the affluent, But there is some slippage and the book rightly highlights this issue.
What succeeds in India can become the template for the rest of the developing world, Bart stated.
It is difficult for medical professionals to write a book as time is scarce for them. A book like this is only written occasionally writes Dr. Rajendra Achyut Badwe, Director of Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai in an introduction to the book. Cancer is now conquered in terms of mortality and might become chronic in future. It would be even curable, he writes.
The book published praises received from different walks of life. Notable among them is Venkaiah Naidu, former Vice President who said cancer is a societal disease that affects everyone and all must support patients to mitigate their pain.
Another noteworthy praise is from Dr. Dattatreyudu Nori, a noted Indo-American radiation oncologist said that the book will inspire the next generation of Cancer Surgeons.
Dr. G. Surender Rao, Managing Director of Yashoda Hospitals heaped praise on Dr. . Chinnababu as a shining star of Yashoda’s galaxy. He has a great mix of medical skills and team building. For us, our legacy is leading cancer treatment in India and this book points to the way ahead.
Dr. Pavan Gorukanti, Director of Yashoda Hospitals, who was the guest of honour added that Hyderabad is the hub for the best of the best medical care and medical devices for cancer and Oncologists, the book is a great contribution to the profession, he added.
Dr. Gullapalli N. Rao, Founder-Chair of LV Prasad Eye Institute adds that the book candidly presents the science of cancer to dispel fear and create awareness that it is just another disease that can be tackled and defeated.
Another important message of the book is “Cancer is the most curable chronic disease. But it is more often fatal as well”.
The book is divided into four sections — Becoming, Science, Treatment and Containing Cancer. It has 24 chapters.
The 292-page, hardbound English book is published by Sakal Publications. It is written in easy-to-follow language.
The launch was graced by over 200 who's who of the medical fraternity of the city.