Keynote Speaker:- Dr V.P. Gangadharan, World Renowned Oncologist.

Doctor Gangadharan, before introducing and talking on the subject , gave us a glimpse of his early education period and how help became the present personality. During his early childhood he did not like biology and had special interest for mathematics. At the age of 5 he was admitted to the 3^rd standard and completed SSLC at the age of 13.As Per the prevailing rules at the time he was not eligible to apply for any professional course as he was not 17. He got the admission for BSc Chemistry in Maharajas College Ernakulam with Mathematics as subsidiary and surprisingly he stood first in mathematics with 100%. After completing his BSc he had a short stint of 3 months in his family business. One of his uncle and brother were doctors and his mother wanted him to be a doctor too. Thus he started his medical education by getting admitted for MBBS. Following that he had an interesting higher education path. He completed his M.D in radiology from AIIMS Delhi and then MD in General Medicine from Kottayam Medical College. It was a pre-requisite to have MD in General Medicine for the D.M in Medical Oncology. Following his D.M from Adayar Cancer Institute he completed his super specialities from U.S and U.K. The journey to gain super speciality was at a  time when the same branch was not favourite among the medicos.But during the last 35 years there is a total change in the growth, advancement and need of this branch. But the stigma in a lesser degree still exist.

He cited many examples among his patients , be the embodiments of superstition , fear and unscientific approach. The patient as well as the relatives do not want to expose the condition. But the doctor recalled that late Sri. Innocent was different.

 Subject: Gratitude for Your Insightful Contributions at the 169th Seminar

Dear Dr. Shiva Prasad, Er. K.P. Thankachan, Rev. Dr. Abin Abraham, Dr. Tanuja, Mr. Binny Cherian, Rev. Dr. John Joseph Ernayakulam, Mr. Job Pottas, and Dr. T.A. Varkey, On behalf of the GMF and SDF teams, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your invaluable contributions during the 169th seminar held on January 19th. Your probing and insightful questions enriched the discussions significantly, guiding Dr. V.P. Gangadharan to share precise and actionable tips on how to combat cancer in everyday life. Your focus on fostering attitudinal changes and promoting dietary awareness will undoubtedly help millions lead healthier lives. We deeply admire your intellectual acumen and the courage you displayed in raising these critical points. Please know that your efforts are recognized and deeply appreciated. We look forward to your continued guidance and participation in our future deliberations.
Warm regards,
Dr. KM George
GMF & SDF
20th Januarry