Binaytara Foundation

The Binaytara Foundation (BTF) was co-founded  in 2007 by Dr. Binay Shah and his wife Tara Shah. The goal of the foundation is to promote health and education in underprivileged societies, with an emphasis on improving access to cancer care in underserved areas.

The foundation supports several major projects and programs. It is the leading provider of hematology and oncology continuing education (CME/CE) for physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals in the U.S. and globally. It has built a 25-bed cancer clinic in Nepal in 2018 and is extending its care in the region. It broke ground in 2022 on a new 200-bed cancer hospital.

The BTF is a Washington State nonprofit organization exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Current projects & programs


Binaytara Foundation Cancer Center: The Binaytara Foundation opened the Binaytara Foundation Cancer Center on December 17, 2018, in Janakpur in Nepal. It is the first cancer center in the region, and will provide cutting-edge treatment to patients while also serving as a hub for research and education. The center was desperately needed in the region, with the nearest cancer center a full day's drive away in Kathmandu. It is the only public state-of-the-art cancer center in Nepal's Province No. 2, which is the most densely populated province in the country. The center serves a population area of about 15 million, including those from neighboring provinces and India. The Binaytara Foundation Cancer Center (BTFCC) in Janakpur, Nepal will be expanding to a 200-bed facility to help more patients by providing cutting-edge, evidence based, compassionate cancer care to patients of Madhesh and neighboring states of Nepal and India – a population of 25 million. On April 15, 2022, the Binaytara Foundation Cancer Center held a groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of building. The new hospital is slated to be finished by 2025 and is anticipated to serve around 25,000 patients per year.

The Binaytara Foundation Education Academy hosts several hours of free oncology continuing education (CME) activities that learners can complete at their own pace from the comfort of their homes or any other place. Upon successful completion of the eligible activity, physicians may be able to claim free continuing education credits (CME) as well as Maintenance of Certificate (MOC) Points for their American Board of Internal Medicine board certification.

The Cancer News (TCN), Binaytara Foundation’s news media, is an authoritative resource featuring independent and expert analysis in the field of hematology and oncology. Our target audience is hematology, oncology professionals, and others interested in cancer care. Our goal is to improve patient outcomes.

International Journal of Cancer Care and Delivery (IJCCD): This publication is an open-access (CC BY-SA) peer-reviewed online journal. COMING SOON - OncoBlast: A serious game application to educate healthcare providers about the latest developments in the field of oncology.

Past projects
The International Conference on Advances in Hematology and Oncology (ICAHO): ICAHO is an annual conference for medial professionals generally held in August of each year in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The conference's aim is to improve the care of hematology and oncology patients by providing attendees with new updates in the field. There are opportunities provided to submit research abstracts, with accepted abstracts appearing in the Anticancer Research Journal. The conference agenda is geared toward the following:
 * Hematologists
 * Medical Oncologists
 * Radiation Oncologists
 * Surgeons
 * Primary Care Providers (Internists, Family practitioners, NP, PA)
 * Oncology Nurses
 * Pharmacists
 * Basic Science Researchers
 * Other healthcare professionals involved in the management of cancer patients.

Northwest Cancer Summit: BTF hosts periodic free public meetings in Northwest Washington designed to educate cancer patients. The summits, called Northwest Cancer Summit: Empowering Patients and Demystifying Cancer, facilitate discussion among cancer patients, their family members, caregivers, healthcare professionals and other experts to help. Summits are held periodically within Whatcom and Skagit Counties of Washington. Speakers and topics vary by event.

Northwest Cancer Climb: This annual fundraising event takes participants with hiking to the top of Oyster Dome, a trail near Bellingham, Wash. Registered participants receive a free t-shirt and are also entered to win prizes upon reaches the summit. Proceeds benefit BTF's programs.

Medical Research Grant: With the overview of exploring the medical sciences and evidence-based practice where financial barriers restrict them, BTF awarded grants for medical research in underdeveloped and developing nations including Nepal and India. The program started in 2008 and was awarded every year until 2015. Cervical Cancer Screening: BTF partnered with Cancer Care Nepal to develop a screening program for low- and middle-income women ages 30 to 60 who live in the rural and suburban areas of Kathmandu and Lalitpur Districts, Nepal. The cervical cancer screening program was conducted over a six-month period starting in May 2014. More than 1,000 women were screened for cervical cancer.

BTF Telemedicine Project: Using wireless video consultation, experts from the U.S. volunteered in weekly telemedicine session with physicians in Manipal College of Medical Sciences in Pokhara, Nepal, between March 2010 and March 2012.

BTF Scholarship: The first project was launched March 31, 2007, when BTF distributed uniforms and stationery to 33 underprivileged students of Yog Kumar Secondary School, Blaba- Sarpallo, Mahottari, Nepal. BTF scholarships were also provided to 44 school children in 2008.

BTF-UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago) Telelecture Series: The university and BTF conducted a specialty telemedicine review course in hematological malignancies to provide physicians from developing countries with information on recent advances in management.

Bone Marrow Transplant Center: The bone marrow transplant (BMT) program is a joint venture between BTF, UIC Center for Global Health, University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System, and the Civil Service Hospital. They have partnered in a project to develop the first Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplant (BMT) Center in Nepal. BTF provided financial support for the training of two physicians and a nurse from Nepal at the UIC Medical Center Chicago for this project. BTF also supported the training of one physician in clinical genetics.

Funding
Funding is acquired through grants, sponsorships, and donations.

Funding details
Funding details as of 2022:

Assets
As of 2018, the Binaytara Foundation had net assets of $159,452.