KOLKATA: A group of six bikers from Kolkata, including an onco-surgeon, travelled all the way to Leh and Ladakh to spread the message of cancer prevention and awareness. They distributed leaflets among the people they met while riding through the mountains. The aim of the group — belonging to varied professional backgrounds — was to give something back to the people there.
With a common passion for riding, the team from Friends on Wheels — a unit of Bengal Moto Wheel — has been taking bike trips to various destinations on different occasions. This time, the team covered about 3,800km to spread the message. They packed their bikes and left Kolkata on June 17 to reach Delhi by train, and started their 15-day ride supported by the Medica Group.
“This breathtaking land gives so much to visitors like us. But this time we thought of giving something back to the wonderful people. Cancer is rising in Ladakh as elsewhere. Many have to travel all the way to Delhi for treatment. So, we decided to focus on cancer awareness with emphasis on its prevention,” said Arunava Roy, senior consultant and head, Women Cancer Service at Medica Oncology.
While the topic of cancer was common for Roy, who is an onco-surgeon, the rest had seen family members suffer from cancer.
Shyambazar resident Manas Nandy lost both parents to cancer in 2020. Nandy was part of the team along with Roy, Suvajit Malik, Abhishek Das, Harsh Manocha and Ananda Mohan Roy.
“I lost my father within a month of him being diagnosed with lung cancer. Then the second blow came in about a fortnight when my mother succumbed to bone cancer. This made me resolute when the issue was broached by Arunava Roy,” said Nandy, a businessman.
The team stopped at market places, monasteries and hamlets, even in the extreme interiors of the region, to spread the message of cancer prevention and early signs. The team also visited Umling La, the highest motorable road in the world at 19,300ft.
