During Covid 19 pandemic free online music concert “Yes To Life… No To Tobacco”
When the world is battling with the Covid-19 pandemic, Cancer Patietns Aid Association (CPAA), which is known for its works for the Cancer patients for last more than five decades along with World Health Organisation (WHO) have come up with a unique Online Musical Concert “Yes To Life… No To Tobacco”on June 7, 2020 at 8pm onwards on the occasion of World No Tobacco Week. The concert, which is featuring leading singers such as Shaan, Kunal Ganjawala, Salim sulaiman, Neha Bhasin among others, has been organised to help cancer patients complete their treatment during the pandemic. The proceedings received from the Concert will be used for underprivileged patients who travelled to Mumbai for their cancer treatment but got stranded due to the lockdown. CPAA has been providing them with Monthly ration supplies, guiding them with the shelter facilities along with hygiene kits consisting of masks, sanitizers among others.
Helping these patients further in awareness, management and treatment for cancer, the CPAA, in association with the World Health Organisation (WHO) has organised the musical concert. Eminent singers Shaan, Kunal Ganjawala, Salim Merchant, Benny Dayal, Shadab Faridi, Neha Bhasin, Dhvani Bhanushali, Jonita Gandhi, Shilpa Rao, Aditi Singh, Bhoomi Trivedi, Akriti Kakkar, Anusha Mani, Mamta Sharma and Rasika, and many more to join along with the well known celebrities are participating in the concert. The concert will be free for all to watch on TIKTOK India’s official handle.
The concert assumes significance as the 150-min of non-stop entertainment gala along with informative content comes from World Health Organization & Cancer Patients Aid Association. In line with this year’s theme “Protecting youth from industry manipulation and preventing them from tobacco and nicotine use” for World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2020, CPAA has worked out ‘Differed – Live program” QUIT TOBACCO INDIA, an initiative. It will also focus on leveraging upon the impact, reach and progressive nature of social media.
Tobacco products kill more than 8 million people every year. Tobacco and related industries must continuously find new consumers to replace the ones that their products are killing to maintain revenue. In India tobacco use kills about 13.5 lakh people per year. Tobacco use is responsible for 25% of all cancer deaths globally. Use of nicotine and tobacco products increases the risk of cancer, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease. Over 1 million people die from second-hand smoke exposure every year. Tobacco companies spent over 8 billion in marketing and advertising and the world lost 8 million lives from causes related to tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke.
Anita Peter, Executive director of CPAA, said that “World No Tobacco Day 2020 will seek to educate policy-makers and the general public with regard to the tobacco industry’s harmful tactics and to alert smokers and potential smokers on the most important preventable cause of death and disease in youngsters. CPAA is proud to be working in the field of cancer for the last 50 years whereby we have helped more than 3000 oral & Lung cancer patients annually and yes during this pandemic Tobacco users have high risk of COVID 19 as smoking weaken their lungs.
Cancer Patients Aid Association is a registered, charitable organization working towards Total Management of Cancer Patients – Awareness to Rehabilitation, since the last 51 years. CPAA assists poor patients by giving them free medical aid, food supplements, prosthesis, transport services besides counseling the patients, offering rehabilitation facilities and Tobacco Control being one of the major activity of the organization. CPAA have been commemorating World No Tobacco initiative since 2003 with the support of WHO for better awareness on health impact of tobacco control and reinforcement of effective laws.
Playback singer Shaan said. ‘I have been associated with Cancer Patients Aid Associations for the last 10 Years. “Yes To Life… No To Tobacco” Musical Concert is to create awareness and support cancer patients battling in the wake of COVID-19 on the occasion of World No Tobacco Week and also our tribute to the people who have been trying their best to save our nation from COVID-19’. Singer-Composer Salim Merchant expressed, “Yes To Life… No To Tobacco is an unprecedented Musical Concert of our solidarity and love.” towards cancer patients who all are battling in the wake of COVID-19. Singer Kunal Ganjawala said, “This is our collective efforts to create awareness and support cancer patients battling against Coronavirus and also our tribute to the mammoth struggle and effort of Cancer Patients Aid Association along with World Health Organization (WHO) and the entire medical and health workers putting together in these times of global crisis.