Walking … Healing By Chaitali B. Roy
Two steps in the right direction
On June 4, 2013, the day he turned 26, Rudy Menon, a bright young man with a tireless passion and enthusiasm for life, died of Gliomatosis Cerebri (GC). To preserve his memory, honour Rudy’s care and compassion for others, raise money to fund research on Gliomatosis Cerebri (GC) and other rare and inoperable brain cancers, Rudy’s parents, Vidhu and Somnath Menon established The Rudy A Menon Foundation. The Foundation supports research by Prof Chris Jones, Head of the Glioma Team at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London. Since its formation, the Foundation has raised over 100,000 GBP towards much-needed research into brain tumours. In 2019, the Foundation pledged a further 150,000 GBP over four years to support a PhD student dedicated to improving the outlook for patients with Gliomatosis Cerebri. Shauna Crampsie, the ICR PhD student, is involved in the collaborative project that unites labs working with Prof Chris Jones at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, Dr Mara Vinci’s lab at the Gesu Bambino Hospital in Rome, as well as Dr Mara Vinci’s lab at The Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Harvard, Massachusetts, USA. “For the first time, the Foundation is responsible for a collaborative effort across countries,” says Vidhu Menon, Co-founder of the Rudy Menon Foundation.
Gliomatosis Cerebri is a rare brain cancer that is highly aggressive and impossible to remove or treat. With around 100 cases diagnosed in the United
States each year, it affects males and females equally. The prognosis for the disease is poor and has remained so for a long time. Vidhu and Somnath Menon, who believe that ‘research will certainly defeat cancer’, launched the Foundation, hoping to accelerate the process of understanding and fighting the disease. “The Foundation supports unique research by experts worldwide into the origins of the killer disease, Gliomatosis Cerebri,” writes Dr Lavinia Davenport, from Kosovo. “It is at the cutting edge of vital discoveries which hopefully -and we must keep believing — will one day provide a cure for this most pernicious of brain cancers.” Dr Lavinia Davenport, a patron of the Foundation, is the wife of Michael Davenport, the former British Ambassador to Kuwait. Neena Sarna, a board member, got involved with the Foundation activities after meeting Vidhu in Kuwait. “Once I heard Vidhu’s story, I wanted to get involved,” she says. “We started to think of ways of raising awareness, and now I am actively involved with the foundation.”
Last month, to raise awareness for inoperable brain cancers, The Rudy Menon Foundation organized the ‘Walk For Hope’ from March 01-28, which aimed to walk the periphery of Kuwait (1003 kilometres — approximately 1,820 steps in 28 days). “The steps were a total of 10.9 million/ 8 times the periphery of Kuwait, which is about 1003 km, and we wanted to walk around it as many times as possible,” says Vidhu Menon. “We walked 8134 km, which is over eight times the periphery. It was a Walk for Hope, and we wanted to hug this beautiful country with our walk. We thought it was the best way to show our love.” The participants completed the walk in their own time and
updated the information. “The response was excellent,” shares Vidhu. “We had 68 people walking, outdoors mostly and individually. Each week our steps kept increasing. We sent out messages of encouragement and perseverance. By organizing this walk, the Foundation was instrumental in getting people outdoors and take responsibility for their mental and physical health.”
Patricia Isidro, the wife of the Mexican Ambassador to Kuwait, was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response. “When Vidhu told me the goal was to walk to the perimeter of Kuwait, I didn’t think it would be easy,” she says. “I was astonished to find out that with everyone who participated, we managed to walk the perimeter of Kuwait about six times.” Patricia Isidro and her family are closely involved with the Foundation’s activities for the last three years. “The Foundation’s mission inspired my family and me, and it was a great opportunity for us to stay active and spend time together while doing something good.” Sonia Al Shimali is a good friend of the Foundation with her involvement in all the Kuwait events. She says, “Despite the lockdown, I felt confident that the weather was conducive to walking, and it would give everyone something positive to focus on. Also, it could take place anywhere, i.e. not just in Kuwait.”
Speaking of the challenges associated with organizing a walk in the present situation, Afi Khan, one of the event organizers, shares, “Safety and social distancing were paramount, so we agreed that the walk should be undertaken individually. We started with our friends and acquaintances and asked them to reach out to their friends and acquaintances. Given the subject matter and the great work the Foundation is doing, I was very hopeful that we would have a fair amount of participation and would be able to complete our objective. Obviously, we were all beyond thrilled and grateful at the level of support and participation we got! It was fantastic.” Walking is one of Lavinia Davenport’s favourite activities, and so she took to it easily. “I love walking,” she writes. “It keeps my soul alive — so I was naturally very enthusiastic. Although I have now sadly left Kuwait and could only walk for a few days along my favourite route to the Towers from the Embassy. I have always been eager to put Kuwait and its oft-hidden charms on the map, and what better way to do this than to walk along and around its periphery!”
Looking back at the journey of the Foundation since its inception, Vidhu Menon said, “We lost Rudy in 2013, and as we had struggled to find answers to what he had, we needed to focus on the research. Research on these cancers takes a long time. We have a long way to go, but we are confident we are on the right path.