Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital Fundraiser in Sacramento

By Ras H. Siddiqui

It was a big weekend for Shaukat Khanum (SK) fundraising in Northern California starting on Friday, September 25 th in Stockton; Saturday, September 26th in Fremont, and Sunday, September 27, 2026, in both Sacramento and Chico. This writer was present at the Sacramento event because there is only so much that one can do! On hand to deliver the evening keynote speech in Sacramento was Dr Faisal Sultan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust. And accompanying him and adding sporting star power this time was the game of cricket’s fastest bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

But right off the bat one needs to thank the organizers of this fundraiser for a worthy cause. The local team of Kamran Malik and Farooq Azhar is already well known for being associated with this event along with Dr Wajahat Khan and now Qumar Ashraf assisted by Javaid Akhtar, Khizr Kamran and Ahmad Khan. And to this one can add our emcee for the evening, Waqar Rizvi, whose continued annual presence at the local Shaukat Khanum event is always welcome and hard to overlook.

A bit of history is worth sharing here. It was in September 1991 that a handsome/dashing cricketer brought the Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital (Lahore) cause to San Francisco for the first time. Imran Khan had lost his mother to the dreaded disease and wanted to build a hospital to combat it in her memory. At that event it was the first time that we had the opportunity to listen to Qawwali legend, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan live in Northern California, along with Musarrat Nazir and a Pakistani American band called Legend which opened the entertainment. Sadly, Nusrat Sahib is no longer with us but his legacy and the art of Qawwali live on. And at the event 35 years ago there was another first. That was the day that we first saw a copy of the Pakistan Link newspaper and this writer became a contributor soon after.

Imran Khan literally founded Pakistani American philanthropy events with his Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital cause. The continued success of his effort has resulted in not one but two running hospitals treating cancer patients in Lahore and Peshawar and a third under construction in Karachi, the largest one of the three, which makes sense because Karachi is the largest city in Pakistan. Though this is common knowledge, why mention it here? To prove that Imran Khan has been a national asset who has done some real good for his country. And whatever legacy he leaves behind, he will be remembered fondly for founding at least three cancer hospitals and Namal University.

Now to the Sacramento event which was held at the Town & Country Event Center in Rancho Cordova. We had some reservations about the success of this effort because with two fundraisers for the same cause at the same time in the region. But the community did not disappoint, and the hard work of the organizers paid off. The proceedings started off with a delicious dinner (thanks Waqar Khan Bhai). And as with any Pakistani event, if the food is good and served first, we have the beginnings of a winner!

Emcee Waqar Rizvi called everyone to attention. He said that everyone is aware of what Shaukat Khanum has been doing for the people of Pakistan for the past thirty-one plus years. And that effort continues because it all started as a vision and a dream. In 1994 on December 29 th that dream came true with the first hospital operating in Lahore. When it was being built, people thought that it was impossible to have a facility like Shaukat Khanum in Pakistan, treating most of its patients for free. It is not a dream anymore; it is a reality. And the reality is that the third hospital is almost done, said Rizvi.

The formalities began with Tilawat by Mr Mohammad Ali and was followed by the playing of the national anthem of Pakistan. And next the individuals who made this event possible were recognized. Waqar Rizvi said that no event is possible without a strong organizing committee as he asked for a round of applause for the “Dream Team” whom he individually invited to the stage. He also recognized a couple of volunteers from the Bay Area present.

Shaukat Khanum CEO Dr Faisal Sultan next gave his keynote speech. In his very professional presentation Dr Sultan gave the attendees a quick run-through of where Shaukat Khanum stands today and what it is up to soon. He started with an on-screen slide of three (SK) hospitals and said that the Lahore and Peshawar hospitals currently running were both over 500,000 square foot facilities. The Karachi facility under construction will be over 1.2 million square feet, bigger than the other two hospitals combined. He added that the two hospitals already functioning opened on the 29 th of December (different years) and that we will Insha’Allah have the Karachi hospital open on December 29 th this year, too.

Dr Sultan continued with the background of what motivated Imran Khan to build these cancer hospitals. He said that his mother’s suffering was one major motivating factor, but Imran Khan, the person that he is, realized that other people of more limited means in Pakistan had more limited treatment option which convinced him to pursue this venture. Sultan mentioned that two gaps needed to be filled in pursuit of this cancer hospital project: 1) Monetary resources, and 2) How to get all the cancer treatment under one roof for the ease of patients. These gaps were filled by the creation of SK cancer centers in Pakistan where 75% of the patients are being treated free of cost, said Sultan.

Faisal Sahib also shared statistics of cancer numbers in Pakistan and how many are annually treated at Shaukat Khanum hospitals, but still resulting in a large number of people being left out. Hospital capacity is being overrun which is why more hospitals are needed, he said. He added that 857 million dollars have been spent on these hospitals, so far, coming from donations from Pakistanis like us worldwide. And all treatment at these hospitals is certified as equivalent to international standards and is being continuously upgraded. And lastly, Shaukat Khanum Karachi is on track to open this December.

After the showing of two moving videos on the work of Shaukat Khanum including inspiring words from its founder, the fundraising began in the very capable hands of Shoaib Akhtar. Little did we know that besides being one of the fastest bowlers in cricket history, he also possesses one of the fastest deliveries in making donation appeals too. And with his great wit and people skills, he made the event much more entertaining and productive than we had originally expected it to be. His request of each major donor to share the reason why they were donating, moved many hearts. Cancer had hit their families or friends, and they wanted to do something to help others whose lives may be impacted by it.