Cancer is the scariest thing in the world .... and to meet survivors who smile even with a turban on their head because they don't have any hair left .... or survivors who wear special blouses because they only have one breast left .... leaves one speechless with gratitude for a healthy body!! ..... We usually tend to have a very prejudiced view of the elite fashionable set usually seen in Cancer awareness fundraisers .... but the fact is medical research is expensive ..... and among these "swish set" are peeps contributing and fundraising for concerns like Cancer survivors, with a vengeance that most of us "bread and butter" citizens stay away from BECAUSE it has not happened to us or our loved ones yet ...... Prejudice is the biggest mental cancer there is ..... Philanthropic moneyed people are the biggest contributors to charities ..... Even if they buy a highly expensive couture creation whose sale proceeds just might feed a family for a year or fund a child's education ..... or even if they donate their time to highlight social causes !!!! ..... Even if they have money to spare unlike most of us .... they are doing a noble thing, and our society must learn to appreciate such initiatives ...... because at the end of the day it is uplifting the life of the underprivileged in no small measure ! ...... On February 18, 2013, Sahachari Foundation announced the third edition of Design One, a two-day couture extravaganza to be held on February 27, and February 28, 2013 on the lawns of The Lodhi Hotel ..... Design One 2013 brings together established and upcoming designers with a unique offering of distinct, carefully selected fashion and accessories ...... The foundation's objective is to raise awareness and funds for deserving NGO's while promoting talent from across the country .... On the occassion, fashion designers Shivan and Narresh ( the retro swimsuit designers for the movie "Life of Pi" ), donated a specially designed Mastectomy Blouse for All .... for breast cancer victims to the Women's Cancer Initiative - Tata Memorial Hospital ..... and Arti Shetty of All Cargo donated a car to Sakha Cabs for Women, a service provided by the Sakha Consulting Wings Pvt. Ltd via Sahachari Foundation.



Imagine someone undergoing surgery for breast cancer ....... It is devastating to the patient .... All of a sudden you are not only battling death, or weight gain and hair loss due the cancer related treatments such as chemotherapy and hormone therapy ..... One will end up with a major loss of confidence and body image with a loss of a breast ...... "Mastectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of one or both breasts, partially or completely. Mastectomy is usually done to treat breast cancer; in some cases, women and some men believed to be at high risk of breast cancer have the operation prophylactically, that is, to prevent cancer rather than treat it." - Wikipedia.


India's leading luxury swimwear designers Shivan and Narresh decided to do something about breast cancer patients who have had a mastectomy ..... After breast surgery, it's common to feel less attractive ...... The sudden and enforced change to the body shape can lead to a loss of self esteem and confidence, which in turn affects the body image ...... The duo have been studying the Indian body type for the last 6 years, and with that experience designed the above prototype called the "Mastectomy Blouse for All" which is made especially for Indian patients and has an in built prosthetic breast which is comfortable to wear .... It aims to be an essential for all women undergoing breast removal surgery ..... through collaborations with NGO's and corporates working towards this cause ..... they want it to be freely accessible to all women as part of a post-mastectomy kit .... Bravo Shivan and Narresh !!!! ........ Internationally fashion designers Ralph Lauren (The Pink Pony Fund and The Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention) and Michael Kors (Breast Cancer Research Foundation) are known to donate and fiercely campaign for Cancer Charity ...... Good to see the same trend picking up in India !!


This year the Sahachari Foundation takes Design One to the next level with the donation of a car by Arti Shetty of All Cargo for Sahachari Foundation, to Sakha Cabs for Women, a service provided by the Sakha Consulting Wings Pvt. Ltd.
Srimant Yashodhara Raje Scindia, MP Lok Sabha, handed over the car to Sakha Consulting Wings Pvt. Ltd, on February 18, 2013 in a formal ceremony at The Lodhi, New Delhi (formerly The Aman).
Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Yashodhara Raje Scindia, MP Lok Sabha said, “Women’s upliftment and safety, is a cause very close to my heart. It delights me to see organizations such as the Sahachari Foundation actively work towards making a change, through the causes they support. Given the current national scenario, I believe any step in the direction of women’s safety and upliftment is an important one. It has been a pleasure to be associated with this event. I wish more people would take on such initiatives for the betterment of society.”
Amruda Nair, Spokesperson Sahachari Foundation said, “The third edition of Design One in New Delhi promises to be as exciting if not more than the last edition. This year to show our support to women’s rights, the Foundation is donating a car to Sakha Cabs for Women. We chose Sakha Consulting Wings because of their work with women and their endeavor to ensure safe transport for women.” - Press Release


Sakha Consulting Wings Pvt. Ltd. is a unique social enterprise, launched to provide safe transport solutions for women, by women in urban India. It offers three services :
Sakha Cabs for Women : A premium cab service driven by women for women in Delhi and NCR.
Sakha Chauffeur Placement Services: A one of a kind Chauffeur Placement Service on a full time basis within an agreed contract
Sakha Chauffeur on Call : Chauffeur services for a short duration or daily packages.
The services are available primarily to women and their families. The women drivers engaged by Sakha are handpicked from the poor and marginalized sections of society, and their entire training and development is undertaken by Azad Foundation, Sakha’s non-profit sister organisation. Driving skills are provided by Maruti Institute of Driving and Technology Research as well as in-house trainers. In addition to driving, these women are taught self defense by the Delhi Police, Crime against Women Cell to equip them with the means to deal with any untoward incident that they may face on the roads.
Fashion with a cause ..... Design One Spring/Summer 2013 ..... we are looking forwards to it ..... See you there Delhi on 27th and 28th February 2013 at the Lodhi Hotel :)
DS