On Oct 27, the BC Chapter of Cancer Education Research Foundation supporting Shaukat Khanam Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center arranged a fundraising gala dinner at Taj Park Convention Centre in Surrey. Among the organizers were Mr. Raza Mirani, Mr. Shaukat Khan, Mr. Nayyar Suhail, Mr. Saif Pannu, Mr, Adeel Haider, and Mr. Waqas Chaudhry. Mr. Raza Mirani and Ms. Rabia Dastagir were the masters of the ceremony. The program began with the recitation of Holy Quran by Hassan Ahmed.
Mr. Saif Pannu, event chair and trustee of Pakistan-Canada Association and Mr. Shaukat Khan, President of Pakistan Canada Association then welcomed the guests and encouraged all to donate generously. Guests included Surrey’s mayor Doug McCallum who shared his personal experiences of having family members who battled cancer. Mr. Mohammad Tariq, Consul General of Pakistan also spoke to the crowd regarding the importance of supporting Shaukat Khanum hospital in Pakistan.s After their speeches, the guest speaker, Dr. Tariq Azam, a representation of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust came on the stage and described the progress the foundation has made in the past 25 years. Aside from the first cancer hospital in Lahore, Shaukat Khanum Hospital has been established in Peshawar and construction is underway for another branch in Karachi, which is expected to be larger than its predecessors. He shared details of the hospital’s accomplishments and future projects and emphasized the importance of donations. The event also featured short videos of testimonials from cancer patients and their families, highlighting the struggles of the underprivileged when dealing with a cancer diagnosis and the support and hope offered by Shaukat Khanum Hospital.
Mr. Sohail, Mr. Mirani, and Mr. Khan then led the fundraising efforts. As part of the appeal, a video message from Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan and the founder of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust was played where he thanked ex-pats for their support to the hospital and encouraged them to continue their support. A short auction was also held to assist in fundraising which included a bat and some cricket balls signed by Imran Khan. At the end of the event, $75, 000 were raised. After dinner, the guests had enjoyed a beautiful musical performance by renowned music producer and singer, Sahir Ali Bagga.
