At Toronto Western Hospital, Canada, the late Prof. Dimitrios G. Oreopoulos inculcated compassionate care and an empathetic understanding of the complex problems faced by kidney patients in young Dr. Georgi Abraham. The humane approach, passion and vision of Dr. Oreopoulos influenced the life of Dr. Georgi Abraham so much, that he decided to return to India to serve the needy. Dr. Abraham gave up his lucrative career in Canada to relocate to Chennai and started a new career providing care to underprivileged people struck by kidney disease.
As was his nature, Dr. Georgi Abraham formed personal relationships with his patients and their families. One such patient was Dr. Sarojini Kumaraswami who had returned from the UK and was on (continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis) CAPD which Dr. Georgi pioneered in India. Dr. Sarojini Kumaraswami’s daughter-in-law, Mrs. Latha Kumaraswami, and other like-minded people had a desire to do something about it.
At a time when India had less than 500 Kidney specialists in 1990 (currently there are more than 1,850 which is still grossly inadequate), he had the opportunity and privilege to meet and gather a group of great philanthropists to establish the Tamilnad Kidney Research Foundation (TANKER Foundation) in 1993 as a charitable trust for underprivileged people with kidney disease. These philanthropists became the Trustees of TANKER Foundation.
After the enactment of the Indian Transplantation law in 1994, Dr. Georgi Abraham and colleagues implemented the first multi organ deceased donor transplantation in India at Chennai, India in 1995. The successful kidney transplantation from poisonous cobra-bite brain dead victims, that was reported for the first time in the world by his team in Transplantation 1997 was a breakthrough.
From small beginnings in June 1993, TANKER has grown with the help of family, friends, donors, enablers, corporates, the government and others. TANKER is now engaged in a broad range of activities aimed at information dissemination and prevention of the onset of kidney disease. TANKER provides free and subsidized dialysis to underprivileged Kidney patients in 14 dialysis Units spread throughout Tamil Nadu.
| November 1994 | 2 units | Tamilnad Hospitals and Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute |
| January 1999 | 5 Dialysis Machines | Rekha Memorial TANKER Foundation Subsidized Dialysis Unit began at premises provided by Mr. K.V. George at Kilpauk. The Unit was later relocated to Ambattur Rotary Charitable Hospital. |
| March 2006 | 6 Dialysis Machines | Our 1st Unit, The Renny Abraham TANKER Foundation Ambattur Rotary Subsidized Dialysis Unit was started in a rent-free space provided by Ambattur Rotary Charitable Hospital. |
| October 2006 | 6 Dialysis Machines | TANKER, with the help of our goodwill Ambassador, and actor, Mr. R.S. Suriya, started the 2nd Unit, TANKER Foundation Madurai Subsidized Dialysis Unit at Vallabhai Road, Chokkikulam. |
| January 2007 | The Madras West Round Table 10, The Madras Ladies Circle 2 and TANKER’s Goodwill Ambassador Suriya launched the Dialysis A Day (DAD) project. The DAD project encourages people to sponsor a dialysis for a patient/s for a month / year or any number of days they wish to. TANKER channelizes the amount to provide free dialysis for a patient/s. | |
| 2009 | 2 Dialysis Machines | A dialysis facility for HIV positive patients began with machines donated by Fresenius Medical Care & Rotary Club of Madras, Vadapalani. |
| October 2013 | 6 Dialysis Machines | Our unit which was inaugurated at Sulur, Coimbatore by Goodwill Ambassador, Mr Suriya with the help of Rathnavel Subramaniam (RVS) group, established as a public charitable trust in memory of Master Rathnavel Subramaniam, the elder son of group chairman, Dr. K.V. Kupusamy and Mrs. K. Padmavathy, is now non functional due to a lack of need in that region. |
| December 2013 | 1 Dialysis Machine | TANKER & MMM Hospital donated a machine together with an RO plant to the Government of Tanzania. |
| August 2014 | 18 Dialysis Machines | Our 3rd Unit came up at Nungambakkam along with Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and Rotary Club of Madras East (RCME) |
| October 2014 | 28 Dialysis Machines | The Rekha Memorial Renny Abraham Ambattur Rotary TANKER Foundation Subsidized Dialysis Unit was inaugurated by actor Suriya .This unit, was made possible with the generosity and support of
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| February 2016 | 4 Dialysis Machines | Along with machines, The Catholic Mission Centre Hospital donated other equipment totalling ₹ 3.3 million to set up a new unit at Imphal, Manipur. |
| May 2017 | 13 Dialysis Machines | Our 4th dialysis unit was inaugurated by Mr. Prem Watsa, CEO & Chairman, Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd, at Thiruverkadu Medical Centre, along with Rotary Club of Madras West. |
| June 2017 | 8 Dialysis Machines | Our 5th dialysis unit was started along with the Rotary Club of Vellore Fort, was inaugurated by Vellore MLA, Mr. P. Karthikeyan, at Sathuvachari, Vellore. |
| August 2018 | 10 Dialysis Machines | Our 6th dialysis unit came up at UPHC, Lakshmipuram, Retteri, in association with Rotary Club of Chennai Towers and Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) was inaugurated by Mr. P. Madhusudhan Reddy IAS, Deputy Commissioner (Health), Greater Chennai Corporation and IPDG Rtn. Srinivasan |
| August 2019 | 10 Dialysis Machines | Our 7th Dialysis Unit at Greater Chennai Corporation-UCHC TANKER Foundation Dialysis Center, Perungudi was inaugurated by Chief Guest Mr. G. Prakash, I.A.S Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation, Guest of Honours Mr. P. Madhusudhan Reddy, I. A. S, Deputy Commissioner (Health), Greater Chennai Corporation and Mr. Senthilnathan, City Health Officer |
| June 2020 | 10 Dialysis Machines | Our 8th Unit RCCC-UCHC TANKER Foundation Dialysis Center was set up at Valasaravakkam, Chennai in association with The Greater Chennai Corporation(GCC) and Rotary Club of Chennai Coastal (RCCC), was inaugurated by Mr. Prakash Govindasamy and Mr. G. Chandramohan, District Governor Dist 3232, Rotary Club of Madras Northwest |
| July 2020 | 10 Dialysis Machines | Our 9th Unit The Greater Chennai Corporation, Lodge Accountants No. 194, TANKER Foundation Dialysis Center was started at Injambakkam in collaboration with Greater Chennai Corporation and Lodge Accountants Charitable Trust, Lodge Accountants No 194 (Freemasons Lodge) was inaugurated by Mr. G. Prakash IAS, Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation and Mr. V G Madhusudhan, Regional Grand Master of the Regional Grand Lodge of South India and Mr. Madhusudhan Reddy, IAS, Joint Commissioner, Health, Greater Chennai Corporation |
| August 2020 | 10 Dialysis Machines | Our 10th Dialysis Unit, The Tiruppur North Rotary Club, Tiruppur Corporation & TANKER Foundation Dialysis Center came up at Tiruppur was inaugurated by Rtn. S. Gunasekaran M.L.A, Tiruppur South Constituency, Dr. K. Vijayakarthikeyan I. A. S, Thirupur Collector & Mr. K. Sivakumar M.A Thirupur Corporation Commissioner |
| June 2021 | 10 Dialysis machines | Our 11th Dialysis Unit, Rotary Club of Chennai Aadithya and Rotary Club of Madras West and TANKER Foundation came up at Tiruvottiyur. It was inaugurated by Thiru. Ma. Subramanian BA.,LL.B, Honourable Minister for Medical and Family Welfare, Tamilnadu. |
| July 2021 | 10 Dialysis Machines | Our 12th dialysis unit, The Sathyalok Mrs.Shanti Lulla MWRT -10 ,Rotary Club of Chennai Capital TANKER Foundation dialysis center came up at Porur,Chennai. This is a joint effort of Sathyalok Charitable Trust,Mr.Sanjay Lulla, MWRT -10 ,Rotary Club of Chennai Capital, Rotary International and TANKER Foundation. It was inaugurated by Mr. Sanjay Lulla, Mr. Prem Watwani & Mr. Mukesh Khubchandani. |
| May 2022 | 12 Dialysis Machines | Our 13th dialysis unit, GCC RCMW KCS TANKER Padi dialysis unit in collaboration with Greater Chennai Corporation, Rotary Club of Madras West, Kerala Catholic Society, and TANKER Foundation, was inaugurated by Mr. P.K. Sekar Babu, Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments. |
| Jan 2023 | 10 Dialysis Machines | Our 14th dialysis unit, GCC RCME TANKER Padi dialysis unit in collaboration with Corporation U.P.H.C Vyasarpadi, Chennai along with Rotary Club of Madras East and TANKER Foundation, was inaugurated by Mr. K.N. Nehru, Tamil Nadu Minister for Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply. |