World Cancer Day 2026: Hyderabad-Based GCF Signs MoU With Meghalaya Government in Shillong

On the occassion of World Cancer Day 2026 today (February 4), Hyderabad-based global non-governmental organisation Grace Cancer Foundation (GCF) officially launched its joint cancer control project with the Meghalaya Government at Shillong, marking a major step in expanding organised cancer screening and awareness programmes in India’s North-Eastern region.

The launch follows the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) by GCF with the Governments of Meghalaya and Tripura, paving the way for free cancer screening initiatives beginning February 2026. While the Meghalaya programme has now been formally rolled out, similar initiatives are planned in Tripura in the coming months.

With this expansion, GCF significantly widens its footprint beyond southern India, where it has been active for more than a decade in cancer awareness, early detection and community-based screening.

Founded by renowned surgical oncologist Dr Chinnababu Sunkavalli, GCF is known for pioneering low-cost cancer screening in India through mobile screening buses and large-scale outreach programmes. Dr. Sunkavalli has consistently championed early detection, cancer awareness and vaccination, and has led multiple national campaigns, including the Global Grace Cancer Run.

The expansion into the North-East was initiated following an appeal by Jishnu Dev Verma, Governor of Telangana, during GCF’s 11th anniversary celebrations. Urging the Foundation to extend its services to underserved regions, the Governor had emphasised the importance of compassion-led healthcare. The MoU with the Meghalaya Government was formally signed during the Telangana–North East Connect Festival, held in his presence.

“We speak about 3G, 4G and now 5G, but the most important ‘G’ is Goodness,” the Governor had remarked, underscoring the need for empathy-driven public health initiatives.

Responding to the call, Dr. Sunkavalli said GCF was committed to ensuring that quality cancer screening and awareness reached vulnerable communities. “In 2025 alone, Grace Cancer Foundation screened over 61,000 individuals, leading to more than 1,000 early cancer detections. In 2026, we aim to screen more than one lakh people across our programmes to reduce the cancer burden across India,” he said.

GCF also announced that its GCF–WAY model of screening will be officially initiated on World Cancer Day at the second Meghalaya Cancer Conclave 2026 in Shillong, strengthening the state’s cancer prevention and early-detection framework.

Established 12 years ago with the mission of providing “Cure, Care and Compassion” to those affected by cancer, Grace Cancer Foundation has evolved into a broader health movement focusing on education, early detection, timely treatment, rehabilitation and research. Over the years, GCF’s initiatives have reached nearly 1.4 crore individuals across 130 countries, reflecting its growing national and global impact in the fight against cancer.