CHANDIGARH,28.09.25-The Department of Clinical Hematology and Medical Oncology at PGIMER manages over 500 patients of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) every month, with a total cohort of nearly 5,000 patients under regular follow-up.

CML, once considered a fatal disease with an average survival of only 2–3 years, witnessed a historic breakthrough in 2001 with the introduction of Imatinib—popularly known as the “magic bullet”. With regular treatment and follow-up, most patients today are leading normal, productive lives, much like individuals with diabetes or hypertension.
To celebrate this remarkable journey of hope and resilience, the Department, in collaboration with the Department of Hematology, The Max Foundation, Friends of Max, Sahayta, and Sanjeevani, organized the CML Survivor Day today at Zakir Hall. The event saw enthusiastic participation from over 600 patients and caregivers. The oldest patient in attendance has been living with CML since 1989 and continues to do well.
The program placed special emphasis on the role of caregivers, with Ms. Priyanka Kubal highlighting their dual responsibility of looking after both patients and themselves. Ms. Beena Narayanan, Country Head (India) of The Max Foundation, Ms. Urvashi from The Max Foundation, Ms. Renu Saigal, and Ms. Daman from Sahayta also participated in the event and expressed their commitment to supporting patients and families.
A panel of experts, including Dr. Subash Varma, Dr. Neela Varma, Dr. Alka Khadwal, Dr. Gaurav Prakash, Dr. Arihant Jain, Dr. Shano Naseem, Dr. Aditya Jandial, and Dr. Charanpreet Singh, addressed patient queries in a session moderated by Prof. Pankaj Malhotra.
Dr. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, appreciated the efforts of Ayushman Bharat, which has made free medicines accessible to most patients, along with the availability of cost-effective generic drugs equivalent in efficacy to branded medicines.
CML Survivor Day stands as a testament to scientific progress, patient resilience, and collaborative care that has transformed CML from a once-fatal illness into a chronic, manageable condition.