Charity : How cancer survivor Yuvraj Singh launched India's battle against deadly disease with mother's help and set up YouWeCan

Yuvraj Singh is considered one of the best all-rounders Indian cricket has ever produced. The legendary Yuvraj smashed Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over in inaugural edition of T20 World Cup. In the 2011 edition of ODI World Cup, he played a pivotal role in bringing the trophy home after 28 years. He won the ‘Player of the series’ as well. In the match against West Indies, he vomited blood during his knock but refused to leave the field. Later, Yuvraj was diagnosed with cancer. He battled the disease and made a comeback into the Indian team. The swashbuckling all-rounder helped the needy too with his foundation ‘YouWeCan’. 
 

What is YouWeCan?

YouWeCan is an Indian non-profit organisation dedicated to fighting cancer. It was founded in 2012 by former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh with the help of his mother Shabnam Singh. The foundation focuses on four major areas. This includes cancer awareness, screening, treatment support and supporting those who fight cancer and come back. YouWeCan works entirely in India.
 

Yuvraj's mother, Shabhnam Singh, is the chairperson of YouWeCan and plays an equally important role in serving and supporting cancer patients as the former cricketer does. Yuvraj's mother says that we want India to defeat cancer.
 

YouWeCan’s initial launch

After getting diagnosed for cancer, Yuvraj went to the USA for his treatment. As he overcame the disease, he launched YouWeCan for people suffering from cancer. In September 2012, YouWeCan app was initially launched for Windows Phone through Microsoft. For every purchase of the app, Rs 565 was donated to the Singh Foundation. In September 2012, Colors and YouCan announced a television show, Zindagi Abhi Baaki Yehi Hai, inspired by Yuvraj Singh's story of his successful battle against cancer.
 

In April 2015, Yuvraj invested Rs 40-50 crore in a tech startup and made YouWeCan bigger. He made initial investments in Vyomo, Movo, Healthians, Educart, JetSetGo as well.

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What Yuvraj had to say about his foundation

“I have fought many battles inside and outside the field in my life. But no matter how difficult the fight was, the biggest fight for me was cancer. And the biggest support I got in winning this battle was from you. Everything was possible because of your love, prayers, good wishes and strength that you gave me.
 

“That's why I started my foundation to stand with other cancer patients in their time of need, just like each of you stood with me. Whenever someone in India is diagnosed with cancer, I want to give them the message that “You are not alone. I am with you. YouWeCan is with you. No matter how difficult it is, you should not give up. Together we can and will fight cancer!
 

“I hope you will support my foundation as you have supported mine. Please join me in the fight against cancer in India! Because together we can!”
 

How does YouWeCan work?

YouWeCan Foundation works together with different partners and companies to collects funds. The foundation also runs many awareness campaigns in village areas. It focuses on oral, breast and cervical cancer and cancer screening. In addition, it focuses on health centers which are at the district level. The foundation has so far screened over 150,000 people. Till the year 2019, the foundation supported 25 children who were suffering from cancer. In the year 2020, Payback supported YouWeCan for children’s treatment. Currently, the foundation helps people whose income is less than Rs 2 lakh annually. The foundation also runs anti-tobacco workshops.

 

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Yuvraj’s foundation becomes savior during Covid-19 pandemic

In June 2021, this foundation started Mission 1000 Beds. Under this mission, oxygenated beds, ventilators and other essential items were setup in government hospitals. The budget of this mission was Rs 20 crore which was jointly donated by Accenture, Give India, SBI Foundation and Indusland Bank.
 

Under the Mission 1000 Bed initiative, the team established 1,020 CCU beds in 14 government hospitals in 11 states, including Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Haryana. Apart from this, other areas of the state were also involved in the operation. 
 

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