Janakpurdham, Nepal, April 15, 2022 – The Binaytara Cancer Trust (BCT) held a groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of its planned 200-bed cancer hospital in Janakpurdham, Nepal on April 15. The Binaytara Foundation Cancer Center (BTFCC) under BCT currently operates a 25-bed cancer hospital out of a rented building located at Janakpurdham 2, Kapileshwor Road. Ongoing services include medical oncology, surgical oncology, head and neck cancer surgeries, laboratory, pharmacy, emergency room, radiology, histopathology, intensive care, and anesthesiology. The BTFCC aims to provide cutting edge treatment to even more patients in the new facility, while serving as a center for education and cancer research.

“Each of us faces a fundamental choice between indifference and caring. Then— once we have decided to care—we must choose where to focus our efforts,” said Dr. Binay Shah, president of the Binaytara Foundation, in his speech at the groundbreaking. “For me, as a cancer doctor, improving access to cancer care is the obvious best choice. Unfortunately, there is a lack of cancer care facilities in Madhesh, the most populated state of Nepal. But with you as allies, I do not doubt that we will establish a world-class cancer hospital in Janakpur. A hospital that will save thousands of lives a year – now and for generations!”

Dr. Shah went on to explain that the hospital would serve as a place where doctors and researchers collaborate and trade ideas to provide high quality cancer treatment, and discuss ways to innovate. “Our new center is going to shape the future of healthcare in Nepal in ways we can only imagine. Already, the BTFCC boasts implementation of a next-generation hospital information system, and is one of the few hospitals in South Asia to be 100% paperless.”

The first phase of the new hospital, a 100-bed building, is planned to be completed by 2025. It is designed by San Francisco-based Fong and Chan Architects, who have generously provided 75 percent of their time for the project as a donation. Their innovative design is aimed at optimizing the functionality of the hospital and improving the patient experience in approximately 175,000 square feet, with about 100,000 dedicated to the first phase. It will be built on land that was donated in part by local supporter and humanitarian, Mr. Binod Thakur.

This new hospital will serve patients of Madhesh and neighboring states of Nepal and India, a population of 25 million. The Binaytara Foundation Cancer Center anticipates serving about 25,000 patients per year. In the past, many of these patients would have had to travel for eight hours or more, leaving behind friends and family, to receive cancer treatment. Those who didn’t have the resources for such a trip might not have received treatment at all.

The ceremony, which began at 9 AM on April 15, welcomed more than 200 guests, including delegates from the USA and Nepal. Dr. Binay Shah and BCT president Dr. Yogendra Prasad Singh broke the ground with a shovel. They also placed the first eleven bricks for the foundation of the new building. Local social worker and supporter Mr. Binod Thakur and BCT advisory committee chair Dr. Anil Kumar Jha joined them.

“When I look around, I see an impressive group of outstanding people and a large number of the general public,” said Dr. Shah in his speech at the groundbreaking. “Despite our diverse backgrounds, we decided to be here. We are here because we share a collective vision. We are here because we want to serve our friends and families in Madhesh and other states of Nepal and heal their cancers. We are here because we do not want to see patients going to India, Bharatpur, or Kathmandu for cancer care. We are here because we believe that establishing the Foundation’s cancer hospital in Nepal will give hope to millions of people in the region.”

For more on the Nepal Cancer Center expansion and how you can help, please visit the project page here.

About Binaytara Cancer Trust

Binaytara Cancer Trust is non-profit (Regd. No.: 193897/075/076) registered to improve healthcare in Nepal, especially Madhesh province. The trust is currently running Binaytara Foundation Cancer Center, a 25-bed cancer hospital in Janakpurdham, Nepal in partnership with Binaytara Foundation USA.

About Binaytara Foundation:

Binaytara Foundation is a global cancer non-profit dedicated to improving access to cancer care in the United States and abroad through education and innovative program models that break down barriers and advance best practices in hematology and oncology. Binaytara Foundation’s major projects include hematology and oncology conferences, and the establishment of a cancer hospital in Nepal.