To mark National Cancer Survivors Month, Apollo Cancer Centres (ACC) has launched ‘CanWin’, a cancer support group designed to bring together patients, survivors, caregivers, oncologists, and volunteers into one compassionate and empowering community.
Rooted in the belief that “shared strength can change lives,” CanWin aims to go beyond clinical treatment and create a safe space where people impacted by cancer can talk, listen, heal, and grow together. The platform is brand-agnostic, open to anyone impacted by cancer—whether recently diagnosed, undergoing treatment, in recovery, or caring for a loved one.
Apollo Cancer Centres Launch 'CanWin' Support Group To Empower Survivors and Families Through Storytelling And Shared Strength | FPJ/ Farooq Sayed
The launch event featured an emotional storytelling session titled ‘Stories from the Stage’, where cancer winners took center stage to share their deeply personal stories of resilience and recovery. These stories, full of raw emotion and hope, resonated strongly with the audience and highlighted the power of lived experiences in healing others.
One such story came from the father of 11-year-old Jayesh from Panvel, who bravely overcame cancer. “Our son was too young to understand what cancer meant. All he wanted was to play, go to school, and be a normal child again. Despite the difficult treatments, he fought with courage. Now, he has moved on and just wants to live, laugh, and grow,” his father shared. Jayesh's journey started with a unbearable back pain which was found to be a malignant infection the lumbar. He had lost sensation in the lower limbs and also underwent decompression surgery. "With physiotherapy, he is showing improvement and we are confident that he will soon lead a normal life."
Apollo Cancer Centres Launch 'CanWin' Support Group To Empower Survivors and Families Through Storytelling And Shared Strength | FPJ/ Farooq Sayed
Another powerful testimony came from the father of 6-year-old Abhidya, also from Panvel. “Our daughter has relapsed twice but continues to fight bravely. It’s a difficult time for us as a family, but with the support of doctors and the community, we try to provide her with as normal a life as possible. We hope society will be more empathetic toward children like her,” he said. In a heartfelt note, the father of Abhidya, who had to undergo removal of a kidney due to tumour, said that even after two occurances, the family never left hope and today she is doing fine. He urged that people should not stop believing that cancer is curable.
Dinesh Madhavan, President, Group Oncology & International, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd., said, “Today’s fight against cancer goes beyond medical treatments—it’s about emotional resilience and human connection. CanWin bridges that gap by offering cancer winners a platform to share, reflect, and heal. Storytelling, guided by empathy, becomes a therapeutic tool that empowers both the speaker and the listener.”
Arunesh Punetha, Regional CEO – Western Region, Apollo Hospitals, emphasized the need for holistic care: “Healing goes beyond treatment. CanWin is a step toward humanizing cancer care by offering emotional support and a sense of companionship alongside clinical expertise.”
Professional storytellers, including Nidhi Bagaria, mentored the cancer winners to help them articulate their experiences with strength and purpose. “Storytelling gives meaning to pain and transforms silent battles into shared wisdom. These cancer winners are not just narrating stories—they are rewriting what it means to live with and beyond cancer,” she said.
With monthly gatherings, storytelling therapy, survivor-led workshops, expert question and answer sessions, and volunteering opportunities, CanWin is designed to be a vibrant, inclusive support system, the team from Apollo said. Leading oncologists who attended the launch noted that cancer survival rates have significantly improved across age groups due to early detection and advanced therapies, and that initiatives like CanWin play a vital role in the emotional recovery process.
