FCCRS Hosts Virtual fundraiser for Cancer Patient Manish Arora

HOUSTON: The Foundation For Children Cancer, Research and Support, a Houston-based non-profit held a magnificent on-line fundraiser on Sunday evening, February 27,for Manish Aurora, a 43 year-old cancer patient at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center who is battling a serious cancer, diffused large B-cell lymphoma.

The virtual fundraiser called Umeed (Hope) started with the introduction of FCCRS by Board director, Parul Fernandes. She explained that it is a non-profit organization started by Jeet and Keka Kar to support children who have cancer, support their families morally and financially and support cancer research.

Though FCCRS is set up primarily to help children fight cancer, the FCCRS board decided to reach beyond its mission, on humanitarian grounds to help Aurora fight his lymphoma cancer as his treatment is expensive. So, the Kars used local talent, to produce an awesome interactive virtual concert beamed in India and the US over Zoom and You Tube Live to raise funds.

Satish Agarwal, a community philanthropist, began the event as a local sponsor. Leading off was good hearted entrepreneur Bobby Singh who interviewed Vipul Aurora, Manish’s brother, who has accompanied him to nurse him  back to health. Manish’s parents are also in Houston to look after him.

Vipul explained that Manish has been fighting cancer for the past 2 years. When his doctors in India recommended that a possible curative treatment was only available in M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, they came here in November 2021. His treatment for Car T- Cells has started and Manish and his family live on anxious moments everyday.

Then, Keka explained that Umeed wants to provide Hope to live and fight cancer. The first act from India was a pantomime choreographed by Sajid Jamal and acted by Tanay Chowdhury who conveyed the traumatic emotions of a young man who suddenly finds himself caught in the web of cancer and how he struggles to come out of it.  Well known anchor and actor Sabir Khan in Kolkata and Keka in Katy applauded the act over Zoom.

Sabir introduced Dr. Priyanka Sen (a cardiologist) who sang two solos with her melodious voice. She sang ‘O mere Sona Re Sona Re’ and, ‘Tu mile Dil ke chain’. Then Salil Bhadekar sang’ Mitwa’, a heart rendering romantic song followed by the melodious voice of Mahalakshmi Krishnam who sang ‘Ye dil sun raha hai’. A duet followed with Mahalakhmi and Salil- ‘Meri Aawaz hi Pehchan Hai.’

Keka also thanked program sponsors Manohar and Meera Gidwani and Shyam Thadani of Banke Bihari Parivar and Sieu Rambhajan, Executive Chairman, Titan Logistics and Support Services; and Satish and Kamlesh Agarwal for their support.

Songs by the gifted Kar family followed:  Abhijit Kar’s solo song “Janam Deklo’; his father Jeet continued with a lively beat in the song “Phoolon Ke Rang Se” and his mother Keka sang “Yahi wo jagah hai” in her nightingale voice. Then all three joined in “Ye rate ye Mausam”.

The program continued with a very vivacious Jasmeeta Singh, who is visiting India in her video debut, singing three songs back to back ‘Chura liya Hai Dil’, “Hare Krishna Hare Ram, and “O, Sathi Re”. This was followed melodiously by solo songs by Jeet Kar , Mahalakshmi and Keka Kar.

Other sponsors include the FCCRS Board members: Jawahar Malhotra, Parul Fernandes, Dr. Biswajit Kar, Satyajit Kar, Keka Kar, Ritu Chanchlani and Bashist Sharma. The UMEED team consisted of Bobby Singh, Keka Kar, Parul Fernandes, Rajat Sood, music arranger Somnath Chakraborty, anchor Sabir Khan, choreographer Sajid Jamal, and actor Tanay Chowdhary.

A special thanks goes to the donors and 400+ viewers from all over the world. As they say, ‘life is uncertain but kindness is certain’. FCCRS, a facilitator, is forging links among those who need help in the realm of cancer with those whose hearts are filled with kindness. Please donate for Manish at www.fccrs.org.