Back to Blog
Feature

A Promise Kept: The Story of Shaukat Khanum Hospital

Staff Writer7 min read

When Imran Khan's mother Shaukat Khanum passed away from cancer in 1985, he made a pledge: no one should lose a loved one for lack of affordable treatment. Against all odds, he raised funds from across the world and opened the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital in Lahore in 1994.

Today SKMCH operates three locations across Pakistan, having treated over 127,900 patients. Over 75% receive completely free world-class care thanks to donor generosity. The rest get heavily subsidized treatment.

In a historic milestone, SKMCH achieved certification by the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, placing Pakistan at the forefront of cancer care globally. The rigorous evaluation demonstrated the hospital's commitment to delivering exceptional, financially accessible cancer care.