India Abroad - April 2, 2010

The Bevin Kalathil Varughese Memorial Foundation was launched by his family and friends at a charity dinner at the Cotillion Hotel in Long Island, New York, last week. 

     Bevin, a Temple University, Pennsylvania graduate, died of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2008, at age 28. The foundation will celebrate his life, accomplishments and his valiant fight against the disease.

More than 200 people, including New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Assistant Comptroller for Intergovernmental Affairs Joseph Gallante, state Senator Craig Johnson, Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel, and Nassau County legislator Judi Bosworth, attended the event.

The charitable, voluntary BKVMF is an offshoot of The South Asian Cancer Foundation, founded by Bevin and his friends after he entered remission from leukemia in 2004. The BKVMF aims to continue Bevin’s vision to raise awareness of leukemia in the South Asian community. It will continue the work of the Swab4Bevin campaign, started when he was looking for a suitable bone marrow donor, by recruiting as many people as possible to register with the National Marrow Donor Program. It will also provide comfort to patients, their family and friends, offer financial assistance to those cannot afford the treatment, and support research to find a cure and develop better treatment options. The foundation plans to host events, fundraisers, bone marrow drives, institute a scholarship, conduct annual sporting events and an annual charity memorial dinner.

“The mission of this foundation is to offer a hand in the fight against leukemia,” said Kalathil Varughese, Bevin’s father and the foundation chair. “Even with all the effort and science over many years, we are still losing lives to this dreadful disease. Nothing can bring Bevin back; we can do our part in the fight against leukemia to help others.”

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