Preamble: What is MenCan
MenCan is a nonprofit/non-commercial initiative from the Urology Disease Management Group of Tata Memorial Centre, dedicated to addressing testicular, penile, and prostate cancers. This initiative aims to provide comprehensive care during and post-treatment through various activities, ensuring holistic support for patients and their families. MenCan’s long-term vision is to transform the Urology Disease Management Group into a Centre of Excellence for urological cancers, enhancing early detection, treatment, and overall management. By engaging in educational initiatives, awareness campaigns, research, and collaborations with other organizations. MenCan strives to improve the quality of life and outcomes for those affected by these cancers.
Why MenCan:
The MenCan initiative is essential in India to tackle the increasing incidence of prostate, testicular, and penile cancers. With cultural stigma and low awareness hindering early diagnosis, MenCan aims to educate and normalize conversations around male cancers. The initiative provides end-to-end patient support, including psychological and social care, post-treatment rehabilitation, and financial aid. MenCan also focuses on patient advocacy by creating the necessary infrastructure and capacity building to support cancer survivors. Additionally, it offers skill development programs to help survivors reintegrate into the workforce. By establishing a centre of excellence at Tata Memorial Centre, MenCan aspires to enhance cancer care standards through research, innovation, and community engagement.
MenCan aims to improve the lives of men affected by prostate, testicular, penile cancers and contribute to a healthier future.
Mission Statement:
MenCan is dedicated to advancing men’s cancer care through awareness, prevention, and patient support for prostate, penile, and testicular cancers. Our key objective is to establish the Urology Disease Management Group as a centre of excellence, focusing on cutting-edge research and holistic survivorship care.
Professor, Dept. of Medical Oncology
Professor, Dept. of Surgical oncology
Professor, Dept. of Pathology
Professor, Dept. of Radiation oncology
Project Manager- MenCan
Coordinator- Uro DMG
Core Focus Areas of Mencan
Our primary objectives to improve men’s health and cancer awareness
- Awareness & education
- Prevention & early detection
- Support services & advocacy
- Research & development
- Creating infrastructure for Centre of excellence for men’s cancers
Various activities under MenCan
Physical awareness campaigns
Public outreach through workshops, seminars, health camps, and to inform about early detection, symptoms, and prevention strategies.
Patient support:
Offering emotional, psychological, and practical support to patients and their families through counselling, support groups, and access to healthcare resources.
Patient welfare & Financial support:
 To offer financial support to economically challenged patients to ease the cost of cancer treatments under strict guidelines and protocols.
Digital awareness campaigns:
actively use Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X to raise digital awareness about male-specific cancers.
Podcast:
To Set up and host podcasts to provide information, share stories, and discuss issues related to male-specific cancers by healthcare and non-health care professionals.
MenCan Marathons:
 To organize marathons to raise awareness and funds for male–specific cancers.
Skill development& Survivor empowerment:
 To offer skill development programs to help cancer survivors with their rehabilitation.
Survivor meetings:
 To organize survivor meetings as part of support group initiatives.
Annual fund-raising events:
To host annual fundraising events as part of our efforts to support our mission.
Digital presence:
To maintain a digital presence through our website, www.mencan.in, offering comprehensive information on prostate, penile, and testicular cancers. Visitors can access downloadable resources, event details, and more to support awareness and education.
Education & Conferences:
To organize education meetings and conferences to foster learning and collaboration in the field of male-specific cancers.
MenCan App:
We aim to develop a dedicated app to provide accessible information and support male cancers enhancing outreach and engagement with our community.
Home care services:
We also aim to provide home care services designed to offer support to palliative care patients in future.
Research & Development:
Funding and supporting research projects and clinical trials.
Advocacy & Policy:
 Engaging with policy makers, healthcare providers and organizations to promote better healthcare policies and secure funding for cancer research.
HCP education:
To educate healthcare professionals on early detection and prevention strategies for male-specific cancers.
Collaborations:
 collaborate with trusts and nonprofit organizations to enhance patient facilities and infrastructure, as well as to support fundraising efforts.
Team recruitment:
 Aims to build a dedicated team comprising of Project Manager, Digital Awareness Executive, Coordinator, Patient Support Assistants, Urology Fellow, Medical Oncology Fellow, Radiation Oncology Fellow, Fertility Expert, Andrology Expert, Psychologist, and Event Manager in the near future.
Dedicated helpline:
To operate a dedicated mobile phone helpline number for different purposes including patient calling, to create patient support groups, diet counselling, psychological counselling and various communication purposes.
Patient accommodation:
One of the critical activities under the MenCan initiative is to provide accommodation facilities for patients undergoing treatment for prostate, testicular, and penile cancers during their treatment tenure at a nominal cost.
Adult survivorship clinic:
The MenCan Adult Survivorship Clinic focuses on providing specialized long-term care, guidance, and support to adult survivors of testicular, prostate, and penile cancers. This clinic offers tailored survivorship programs to help manage health &career challenges post-treatment and improve quality of life for cancer survivors.
Centre of excellence
MenCan aims to establish URO DMG as a centre of excellence for prostate, penile, and testicular cancers, striving for exceptional care and outcomes in these cancers.
Vision
MenCan is dedicated to advancing men's cancer care through awareness, prevention, and patient support for prostate, penile, and testicular cancers. Our key objective is to establish the Urology Disease Management Group as a centre of excellence, focusing on cutting-edge research and holistic survivorship care.
Mission
MenCan is dedicated to advancing men's cancer care through awareness, prevention, and patient support for prostate, penile, and testicular cancers. Our key objective is to establish the Urology Disease Management Group as a centre of excellence, focusing on cutting-edge research and holistic survivorship care.
Core focus areas of Mencan
Awareness & education
Prevention & early detection
Support services & advocacy
Research & development
Event Overview
Details of various activities/events
| S.NO | Description | No of Activities/Events |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Testicular survivor meet | 1 |
| 2 | Prostate cancer survivors meet | 1 |
| 3 | Penile cancer survivors meet | 1 |
| 4 | Outreach Awareness campaigns | 12 |
| 5 | Marathon | 1 |
| 6 | Urology connect conference | 1 |
| 7 | HCP education programs | 6 |
| 8 | Podcasts | 24 |
| 9 | Study Initiatives | 3 |
| 10 | Collaborations | 3 |
| 11 | Fund raising events | 1 |
| 12 | Patient meets | 6 |
Targeted financial assistance:
We aim to extend financial assistance to support 1,000 patients in their treatment and recovery, ensuring they receive the care they need to overcome challenges during their cancer journey.