Houston, TX — Aligarh, India

Cancer Care for Those Who Can't Wait

Since 2018, AligsCare has partnered with Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College at Aligarh Muslim University to provide treatment, nutrition, and family support to cancer patients who have nowhere else to turn.

Donate Now Our Story
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Cancer patients supported with treatment, nutrition, and family care
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Transmitted to JNMC for direct patient care
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Palliative Care Unit established at JNMC — a first
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Ramadan and Winter drives delivering supplies bedside
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Breast cancer awareness sessions in rural communities
Dr. Samina Salim with children supported through AligsCare programs in Aligarh.
AligsCare was born from loss, and grief, but it is sustained from love, and it continues because of you. AligsCare was conceived in the quiet, overwhelming halls of MD Anderson Cancer Center, as I sat beside Asghar. Cancer is relentless. It exhausts the body, the spirit, and the family. Even with access to world-class care, the journey felt unimaginably hard. I remember thinking: If this is difficult for us, how much harder must it be for families in India who do not have access to these resources? That question turned into action and AligsCare was born.
Dr. Samina Salim, PhD Founding President, AligsCare
Associate Professor, University of Houston
Our Story

Born in the Corridors of MD Anderson

AligsCare was founded in December 2018 — not in a boardroom, but in the corridors of a cancer hospital. Dr. Samina Salim, sitting beside her husband Asghar during his treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, asked a question that would become a mission: What happens to cancer patients in Aligarh who cannot afford any of this?

Within weeks, AligsCare was registered as a 501(c)(3) in Texas and a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC) at Aligarh Muslim University — one of the top 10 medical schools in India. The partnership was immediate and specific: fund treatment for cancer patients who fall through the cracks of a public health system already stretched thin.

Today, AligsCare operates through a dedicated team on the ground in Aligarh, led by Dr. Mohammad Akram, Dr. Bilal Hussain and Dr. Mohammad Shadab Alam (Department of Radiotherapy), alongside a network of volunteers who deliver rations to hospital bedsides, cover school fees for patients' children, and sit with families who are navigating the hardest days of their lives.

What We Do

Three Pillars of Support

Cancer treatment alone isn't enough. Patients need food, their families need income, and their children need to stay in school. AligsCare addresses all three.

Medical Care

Direct funding for cancer treatment, diagnostic tests, and medications at JNMC. From chemotherapy cycles to MRI scans, we cover the costs that stand between patients and their care.

We also established a free pharmacy at JNMC and funded 12 oxygen concentrators for critical care.

Managed by AMU JNMC Medical Team

Nutritional Support

Food rations delivered directly to hospital bedsides and patient homes. During Ramadan and winter months, our volunteer teams conduct dedicated drives to reach every patient and their family.

Over 20 seasonal drives completed, covering rations, warm clothing, blankets, and shawls.

Managed by Local Volunteer Team

Family Support

Income assistance for families who lose their earner to illness. School fees and supplies for patients' children, so cancer doesn't end a child's education. Startup capital for patients in remission to rebuild their livelihoods.

Because cancer doesn't just affect the patient — it reshapes an entire family.

Managed by Local Volunteer Team
Transparency

How Your Donation Reaches a Patient

Every dollar follows a verified, institutional pathway. No middlemen. Full accountability through AMU's established financial infrastructure.

Step 1

Donor

You give via PayPal, Zelle, or check to AligsCare

Step 2

AligsCare

Funds processed by our 501(c)(3) in Houston, TX

Step 3

AMU FCRA Account

Wire transfer to AMU Finance Office's registered FCRA account

Step 4

Dean's Office

Specialized cost center at the Medical College Dean's Office

Step 5

Patient Care

Authorized individuals purchase medication and supplies; coordinator tracks every patient

Our Partner

Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College

Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India

One of the top 10 medical schools in India

Where We Work

Rooted in Aligarh, Reaching Rural Communities

Our formal partnership with JNMC/AMU, established through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in December 2018, gives us institutional infrastructure to deliver care at scale — not as a temporary charity, but as a sustained, accountable program.

  • December 2018 — MOU signed with JNMC/AMU Formal partnership establishing the cancer care support program
  • January 17, 2023 — 4-Bed Palliative Care Unit opened The first dedicated palliative care unit at JNMC, funded by AligsCare
  • Free Pharmacy opened at JNMC Providing no-cost medications to cancer patients in treatment
  • 12 Oxygen Concentrators (5L) delivered Critical respiratory support for patients in need
  • Palliative Care Conference co-sponsored at AMU Advancing palliative care practices and training at the university
On the Ground

What This Looks Like in Practice

Beyond the numbers — these are the programs our volunteers carry out in the wards, homes, and communities around JNMC.

Seasonal Program

Ramadan Drive

During each Ramadan, our Aligarh-based volunteers prepare and deliver ration kits directly to the bedsides of patients and their families at JNMC. These include food staples, supplies for iftar, and daily necessities — because a family keeping vigil in a hospital corridor still needs to eat.

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Seasonal Program

Winter Drive

Aligarh winters are unforgiving — especially for patients weakened by treatment and families sleeping on hospital floors. Our Winter Drive provides blankets, shawls, and warm clothing to patients and caregivers who would otherwise face the cold without protection.

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Community Outreach

Cancer Awareness Camps

In collaboration with AMU's Department of Social Work and local clinics in Barabanki and surrounding rural areas, we've conducted 15+ breast cancer awareness sessions. Early detection saves lives — and in communities where cancer is often diagnosed late, awareness is its own form of care.

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Hospital Care

Palliative & End-of-Life Care

AligsCare funded a 4-bed Palliative Care Unit at JNMC, opened on January 17, 2023, to support critically ill patients and their families with comfort-focused care.

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Medical Support

Free Pharmacy Support

Through the AligsCare Pharmacy at JNMC, medications are provided at no cost to cancer patients in treatment, reducing delays when families cannot afford prescriptions.

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Family Support

Kids Educational Support

School fee support and educational materials help children of patients stay in school while families navigate treatment and income loss.

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Recovery Support

Walker Giveaways

Assistive mobility support is provided to recovering patients so they can continue treatment and daily movement with greater dignity and safety.

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Community Care

Patient Get-Togethers & Remission Celebrations

Group gatherings bring patients and families together for support, reflection, and moments of encouragement through and beyond treatment.

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Rural Outreach

Rural Clinic Partnerships

Partnerships with local clinics extend awareness, screening, and follow-up support into communities that are far from tertiary hospitals.

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Institutional Collaboration

Social Work Department Collaboration

Programs are carried out with Department of Social Work collaboration to strengthen patient outreach, counseling, and community mobilization.

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Economic Recovery

Startup Capital for Recovering Patients

Small livelihood support helps patients in recovery restart income through micro-business setups and practical, community-level support.

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Recovery Support

Rehabilitation & Economic Empowerment

AligsCare supports rehabilitation of patients in remission through economic empowerment and livelihood support so families can rebuild after treatment.

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Our People

The Team Behind AligsCare

A volunteer-driven organization, led by academics and professionals across the U.S. and a dedicated team on the ground in Aligarh.

Founder
Headshot portrait of Dr. Samina Salim.

Dr. Samina Salim, PhD

Founder & President
Associate Professor, University of Houston
Board of Directors
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Dr. Aftab Ahmad, PhD

Director
Associate Professor, University of Alabama, Birmingham
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Dr. Shahid Hussain, PhD

Director
Associate Professor, Medical University of South Carolina
TA

Tufail Ahmad

Director
Fluor Corporation, Houston
Site Team — Aligarh
SZ

Mr. Salik Zainuddin

Site Team
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Prof. M. Salim Kidwai

Site Team
FA

Mr. Farman Ali

Site Team
MK

Mr. Munna Khan

Site Team
Board of Advisors
Dr. Sania Zainuddin Flint, MI
Prof. Karim Alkadhi Houston, TX
Dr. Saifuddin Sheikh Chicago, IL
Mr. Anis Khan Chicago, IL
Mr. Aftab Ahmad Katy, TX
Dr. Arshad Rehman Rochester, NY
Mr. Adnan Rizvi Houston, TX
Dr. Sameer Qamar Dayton, OH
Dr. Aditi Marwaha Houston, TX