Hicksville, NY: On Sunday, March 9, 2025, the American Punjabi Society (APS) successfully hosted the Multiple Myeloma & Colon Cancer Awareness Breakfast Event at Pearl Banquet Hall, Hicksville. The event brought together esteemed medical professionals, community leaders, and distinguished guests to raise awareness about these critical health issues.
One of the highlights of the event was the incredibly delicious and mouth-watering Indian-style breakfast that everyone enjoyed. The spread featured an authentic selection of traditional Indian delicacies, leaving guests savoring every bite. The impeccable service at Pearl Banquet Hall elevated the experience, ensuring that every attendee felt welcomed and well taken care of. Gary Sikka and his team was to be thanked for pleasing everyone’s appetite with a delightful feast.
This impactful event was led by APS President Gary S. Sikka, who is also the owner of Pearl Banquet Hicksville and Mint Garden City.
Supporting the event were:Mohinder S. Taneja – Sr. Vice President, APS; Ajayveer S. Sondhi – Vice President, APS; Ravinder S. Narang – Vice President, APS; and Navneet Sondhi – Chair, APS Women’s Cell.
The medical session was moderated by renowned specialists:Dr. Tarun Wasil – Oncology & Blood Cancer Specialist; Dr. Jagmohan Kalra – Oncology Expert; and Francesca Castro – Dietitian at Memorial Sloan Cancer Center.
This initiative was further strengthened with the support of various organizations: Dr. Deven Shrivastava – President, AAPI QLI (Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin); Prem Bhandari – President, RANA (Rajasthan Association of North America); Jasbir Jai Singh – President, Indian Association of Long Island; Anju Sharma – President, Indo American Lions Club; Manish Sharma – President, Indian Officers Association of NYPD; and Beena Kothari – President, American Association of Indians in New York.
The event also welcomed prominent women leaders from various fields: Navneet Sondhi – APS Women’s Council Chair, Jessica K. Kalra, Esq., Priyanka Khanna, Dr. Taranjeet K. Ahuja, Dilsheet Kaur, Binny Kaur, Swati Anand and Harleen Jolly.
Several prominent personalities joined the event to show their support including Harman Singh – Omni Mortgage, Ronit Singh Bhatia, Mohinder Singh Miglani, Mohinder Singh Chandhok, Dr. Jagdish Gupta – Former President, AIA, Harish Thakkar – former President of AIA,Dr. Dua, Dr. Mehra, Japra Singh, Sanju Sharma, Indu Gijwani, Dr. Priya Korrapatti, Jyoti Bhatia Gupta, Hargobind Gupta, Negi Gobind, Beena Sabhapati and many more.
APS took the opportunity to recognize young leaders making a difference. Janessa Sondhi was awarded a citation from the Town of Oyster Bay for her outstanding work on social media in promoting APS programs.
The event focused on educating the community about colon cancer and multiple myeloma, two serious yet preventable diseases. Dr. Wasil and Dr. Kalra, both part of New York Cancer & Blood Specialists, emphasized the importance of early screening and preventive care.
The session was highly interactive, with a large audience of over 200 attendees. Despite an important cricket match, the community showed great enthusiasm for health awareness. Notably, India’s victory in the Cricket World Cup added a celebratory spirit to the event.
