Prateek Menezes Memorial Foundation (PMMF) is an irrevocable trust which was created to perpetuate the memory of late Prateek Alvaro Menezes who died on November 20th, 1981, at the age of six years, after having battled with cancer. The seed fund of the Trust came from the sale of greeting cards with Prateek’s drawings.

It was Dr Suzette Menezes, the then Professor and Head of Pathology Dept. of Goa Medical College (GMC), who was instrumental in establishing the link between the Foundation and the Paediatric Department of GMC in 1984. Till 2024, this collaboration of 40 years had provided comprehensive care to hundreds of needy children with cancer, irrespective of cast, creed or place of origin.

PMMF had procured state of the art chemotherapy drugs and other medications in addition to financing specialised investigations, nutritional supplements, toiletries, transport and travel allowance for the child and his/her parents. For those children who succumbed to the disease, the PMMF had assisted their families with preparation for the last rites.

Besides the above, recreational activities were frequently organised by PMMF for the children under the care of the Foundation. Every year in December, there was a party/ get together with lunch for the children, their family members, the doctors and residents from the Dept. of Paediatrics -GMC and the office staff with games and planned entertainment followed by distribution gifts for the child and the family. It had always been a date to look forward to and memories to be cherished. However, due to the pandemic, the get together was not held in 2020 and was discontinued thereafter.

The Foundation had been blessed, right from the beginning, by the moral support and encouragement given by Dr S H Advani, Chief of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital and his entire team of consultants and staff. It continued with Dr Banavali and his young team.

In collaboration with the Paediatrics Dept. of GMC, PMMF established a 5 bedded oncology wing in the Paediatrics Ward incorporating nursing aids & appliances required for an aseptic environment, and infrastructure beneficial for optimal care of the cancer patients. Additional facilities for recreational activities of the children were also made available.

An outstanding feature of the Foundation’s involvement with cancer care is that it maintained and nurtured its commitment to each and every needy child with cancer from the beginning until completion of therapy and beyond, even when the child was well and free of the disease. Many of them completed their education, some graduated from college, others got married and have children of their own.

The Foundation continued to get wholehearted support from Dr. Vaishali Joshi, Head of Paediatric Dept. and their team of doctors and nurses from Goa Medical College ably supported by the then Dean, Dr Pradeep Naik, Dr Wiseman Pinto, Dr Francis Couto in Pathology and Dr Savio and his staff in the Department of Microbiology.

PMMF, with its 44 years’ experience, has now widened its scope for action or Mission to network and collaborate with other NGOs, Institutions involved with cancer treatment, care and awareness, and with the community in order that the Foundation may continue to give hope and life to cancer patients and their families by always caring, by always being there…. for them.