GOTC in Dallas, Texas. The Foundation’s 3rd Annual EISRE award presentation will take place on June 21st
SEPTEMBER 6
New Dover Dash-or-Dally 5K in Edison, NJ
SEPTEMBER 25
Dr. Ida S. Scudder Humanitarian Oration honoring Dr. Ravi Kannan, Director of Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC) in Silchar, India.
FALL 2025
Ecumenical Leadership Forum
APRIL 2026
Annual Spring Gala in NYC
For additional information on upcoming events, please be sure to subscribe to our mailing list!
Visit vellorecmc.org or contact Mabel Haro at mabel.haro@vellorecmc.org
Dear Friends and Loyal Supporters of CMC Vellore, Quite unexpectedly, we find ourselves coming to terms with the reality that the U.S. government will no longer be a source of charitable funding for international healthcare programs. Both the Foundation and CMC have benefited greatly from our federal government’s generosity over the years, but fortunately, we were never fully dependent upon it because the largest portion of our charitable contributions has always come primarily from you, our readers. On each occasion where we sought public sector funding to support the implementation of CMC educational and patient care programs, we did so with the full understanding that the programs, however important, were never mission critical.
Through our donor relationships with members of the CMC alumni, faith-based, Scudder family, and CMC Vellore patron communities, we seek to continuously provide CMC with the resources it needs to reach for and attain excellence in Patient Services, Research and Education. By deepening and broadening our donor community, we can constantly challenge CMC to set higher goals and standards of care for the millions of people it serves each year.
Our focus in 2025 – as we pay tribute to Dr. Ida Scudder and join CMC in the celebration of its 125th anniversary – is on raising the funds needed to support CMC’s existing community outreach programs. This year, our plans are to assist CMC with the expansion of services offered by LowCost Effect Care Unit (LCECU), Community Health and Development (CHAD), Rural Unit for Health and Social Affairs (RUHSA), and College of Nursing Community Health (CONCH). In addition, we will offer our support with the construction of CMC’s Bridge House, an affordable, safe, and clean accommodation for long-term patients, particularly transplant patients, receiving care on CMC's Ranipet Campus.
You can learn more about each on the pages within. As always, I hope you find this edition of Voice of Vellore informative and enjoyable. Thank you so much for your continued support and concern!
Sincerely,
John A. Riehl
Honoring a Global Health Champion: Dr. Soumya Swaminathan Delivers the 13 th Ida S. Scudder Humanitarian Oration
OnDecember 6th, 2024, CMC and the Foundation were delighted to honor Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization, during the 13th Annual Dr. Ida S. Scudder Humanitarian Oration, an annual event commemorating CMC’s founder, Dr. Ida Scudder, and her legacy of compassionate service to underserved communities.
Dr. Swaminathan was honored for her pioneering work in combating tuberculosis (TB) and managing global health crises like COVID-19.
Dr. Swaminathan’s distinguished career includes her role as the former Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), where she championed scientific research and collaboration to tackle the world’s most pressing health challenges. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her leadership was instrumental in advancing global vaccine access and fostering international collaboration, ensuring that healthcare support reached underserved regions. Her work in TB research, particularly at the National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) in India, has had a lasting impact on global TB policies and programs. Her vision for accessible, communitycentered care has helped to shape a more equitable global health landscape.
In her address, Dr. Swaminathan reflected on her remarkable career and highlighted the urgent disparities in global health. She drew powerful parallels between the swift international mobilization for COVID-19 and the continued neglect of drug-resistant TB, noting that India alone accounts for 27% of global cases.
"We must bridge the gap between emergency response and ongoing health crises—because TB kills silently, every day, in communities with the least access."
— Dr. Soumya Swaminathan
"We must bridge the gap between emergency response and ongoing health crises—because TB kills silently, every day, in communities with the least access."
— Dr. Soumya Swaminathan
She stressed that addressing such crises requires more than just clinical care—it demands social, economic, and environmental reforms, along with mentorship for the next generation of healthcare leaders.
The oration closed with a celebration of Dr. Swaminathan’s enduring impact and a renewed call to action: integrate care, fund TB like COVID-19, and ensure equitable access for all.
Visit our website to watch the oration: www.vellorecmc.org/oration
Make a gift today
to honor Dr. Ida Scudder’s legacy and ensure that CMC’s care continues to reach those who need it most.
Honoring 125 Years of Service with a Renewed Commitment to Community Outreach
(Continued from Page 1)
RUHSA brings more than 50 years of trusted care to the region’s rural populations, while CONCH contributes decades of expertise in nurse-led community engagement. Their combined strengths form the backbone of this cervical cancer screening program.
At the heart of the initiative is a game-changing tool: HPV DNA selfscreening kits. These kits allow women to safely and privately collect samples at home, making early detection more accessible, less stigmatized, and far less reliant on clinical infrastructure. This approach is supported by:
• Community awareness and education campaigns
• Training in self-sample collection
• A clear and supported pathway from detection to diagnosis to treatment
• A robust care network of community health workers, nurses, consultants, and OB-GYNs
The total projected cost of this five-year initiative is $300,000, and with your help, we aim to raise every dollar between now and the end of 2026. A gift to this campaign not only prevents a woman from dying of a preventable cancer—it also protects her family’s economic stability while empowering an entire community.
Supporting Families in Crisis through Bridge House
The Bridge House project aims to provide affordable, safe, and clean accommodation for long-term patients, particularly transplant patients, at CMC Vellore’s Ranipet Campus. Many of these patients come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and require extended stays in sterile environments for ongoing follow-up care.
By alleviating the non-medical financial burden of housing, Bridge House will allow patients and their families to focus on recovery and healing without the added stress of finding suitable lodging. This planned multistory facility will provide safe, affordable, and hygienic housing just a few steps from the hospital. With designated floors for transplant patients and general accommodations for others, Bridge House will ensure families can stay close to their loved ones without sacrificing dignity, safety, or financial stability.
In addition to reducing non-medical expenses and improving outcomes, Bridge House will reflect CMC’s commitment to wholeperson care—offering gathering spaces, support services, and even home-cooked meals to create a nurturing environment during some of life’s most difficult moments.
The Foundation seeks to raise $500,000 to construct and furnish the residency floor dedicated to pediatric transplant patients. This critical campaign will directly benefit hundreds of families each year. In addition to general contributions, there are several donor naming opportunities, including:
• Bridge House Chapel – $50,000
• Patient/Family Living Accommodation – $30,000
• Patient/Single Family Member Rooms – $10,000
• Family Gathering Rooms – $10,000
• Children’s Playground – $5,000
• General Gifts – Any amount is gratefully accepted (with recognition provided on the pediatric floor lobby plaque)
Every gift, large or small, helps build more than a structure—it builds peace of mind for families in crisis.
Through these campaigns, the Foundation continues to bring Dr. Scudder’s vision to life: care that reaches beyond the walls of the hospital, driven by compassion, equity, and innovation. Together with our donors and partners, we are building healthier communities.
Help Us Carry Forward a Legacy of Compassion
As we celebrate 125 years of compassionate care, we invite you to be part of the next chapter. Your support can help us launch and sustain these life-changing outreach efforts—from cancer screening in rural villages to housing for patients and their families in recovery.
Make a gift today
to honor Dr. Ida Scudder’s legacy and ensure that CMC’s care continues to reach those who need it most.
Transforming Community Health Through the Use of a Digital Registry: A New Initiative in Urban Vellore
This year, the Vellore CMC Foundation is proud to support the launch of a comprehensive health database initiative that will revolutionize the way care is delivered to underserved urban communities in Vellore. Spearheaded by the Department of Family Medicine at Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, the project will be implemented through the Low-Cost Effective Care Unit (LCECU).
LCECU serves as a vital lifeline for thousands living in low-resource neighborhoods, many of whom suffer from chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis, and cancer. However, inconsistent follow-up, lack of preventive care, and fragmented data have long posed challenges to delivering effective, long-term care. This new initiative aims to change that.
At the heart of the project is the creation of a dynamic, patient-centered health registry using REDCap, a secure, web-based data management tool. This database will track patients across seven communities, offering real-time insights and enabling automated appointment reminders through SMS in local languages. It will cover vulnerable groups such as the elderly, under-five children, antenatal mothers, and patients needing specialized follow-up, including those with cancer and tuberculosis.
In addition to improving clinical outcomes, the initiative will empower CMC’s community health workers and family medicine residents with spatial mapping tools, enabling targeted outreach and proactive care. The project also fosters research and learning, as postgraduate students will use the registry to conduct community-based studies in areas like geriatrics, chronic disease management, and maternal and child health.
“This project represents a vital step forward in using technology to bridge gaps in care,” said Dr. Sajitha Rahman, principal investigator. “By transforming data into action, we’re building a healthier future for some of the most vulnerable members of our society.”
With phased implementation over three years, this initiative is expected to make a measurable impact on patient outcomes, reduce hospitalizations, and enhance the efficiency of CMC’s outreach services—all while laying a foundation for sustainable, research-driven care.
"This project represents a vital step forward in using technology to bridge gaps in care. By transforming data into action, we’re building a healthier future for some of the most vulnerable members of our society.”
— Dr. Sajitha Rahman
A New Beginning for Tribal Health in the Jawadhi Hills
OnDecember 7th, 2024, CMC Vellore marked a momentous milestone with the Turning of the Sod Ceremony for the Dr. C.K. Job Tribal Health and Development Center in Veerapanoor. The event celebrated the official launch of this project aimed at improving healthcare access for tribal communities in the region.
The program began with prayers and a song by the Department of Community Health & Development (CHAD) team, followed by a warm welcome from Dr. Venkata Raghava Mohan, Professor & Head, Department of Community Medicine. Dr. Vikram Mathews, Director of CMC, reaffirmed the institution’s mission to serve marginalized populations, while Dr. Anuradha Rose, Professor of Community Medicine, offered a compelling presentation on the new center—detailing its vision, scope, and the transformative impact it aims to bring to the region. Mr. John Riehl, President of the Vellore CMC Foundation, shared heartfelt words of support from the U.S. donor community.
Key project supporters including Dr. David Reines and Ms. Nina Totenberg, Drs. Susan and Jim Taylor, and Mr. Scott Engelsman from the Reformed Church in America were honored during the event, along with local community leaders Mr. Vellaiyan, Mr. Sankar, and Fr. Amala Vinodh, whose involvement has been integral to the initiative.
The highlight of the day—the ceremonial turning of the sod— symbolized a new beginning in delivering equitable, quality healthcare to the Jawadhi Hills tribal communities. The ceremony closed with a vote of thanks by Dr. Sam Marconi and a benediction led by the CMC Chaplain, Rev. Dr. Finney Alexander.
This event marks not just the start of a construction project, but the building of a healthier, more inclusive future.
Foundation Representatives Join CMC for Historic Celebrations in December 2024
InDecember 2024, a delegation of Vellore CMC Foundation supporters and representatives traveled from the U.S. to Christian Medical College Vellore to participate in a series of landmark events marking 125 years of CMC’s service and impact. From inaugurations of major new centers to moving tributes to its founder, Dr. Ida S. Scudder, the visit was a powerful reflection of the institution’s enduring mission and its dynamic path forward.
Inauguration of the Centre for Public Health
On December 6, 2024, CMC officially opened the doors of its new Centre for Public Health (CPH)—a major milestone in the institution’s vision to improve public health through research, education, and policy. This important initiative was made possible through the generous support of the late Dr. Harris Berman, former Dean of Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, and a dedicated partner of CMC. His legacy was warmly remembered by his wife, Dr. Ruth Nemzoff, and Dr. Aviva Must, Professor of Public Health & Community Medicine at Tufts, who were both present to commemorate the occasion.
Opening of the CMC Heritage Center
Founder’s Day at LCECU and the Scudder Training Center
Just a few days later, on December 9, 2024, the Low-Cost Effective Care Unit (LCECU) celebrated Founder’s Day, honoring the vision and values of Dr. Ida. The celebration brought together CMC staff, community members, volunteers, and special guests, including Drs. Susan and Jim Taylor from the Scudder family. A highlight of the day was the dedication of the Scudder Training Center for Family Medicine, fulfilling a long-held dream for the Family Medicine faculty and residents. The center was inaugurated by Dr. Jim Taylor and made possible through a generous gift from Dr. Robert H. Fish, the closest living relative of the founder of CMC Vellore, Ida Scudder, and the Vellore CMC Foundation.
Also on December 9, the newly constructed CMC Heritage Center was officially opened to the public—an interactive tribute to Dr. Ida S. Scudder and the rich history of CMC. The center features 23 immersive zones, guiding visitors through CMC’s evolution from its humble beginnings to its current role as a leader in healthcare and education. Visitors can explore the “three knocks”, delve into pioneering milestones, and discover how the institution’s core values continue to inspire and shape its future.
