COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — The Indian Community of Colorado Springs (ICCS) is hosting its annual Cultural Charity Showcase on Saturday, bringing together food, dance for a meaningful cause.
This event aims to raise funds for Children's Hospital Colorado in Colorado Springs to help more children access life-saving genetic testing closer to home.
The decision to donate to this cause represents hope for families, like the Basak family, who benefited from genetic testing.
“It’s a lifesaver for many, many people,” said Sourabh Basak.
He believes genetic testing helped save his daughter, Kuhu Basak's life. She started feeling numbness on the right side of her body when she was eight years old.
“She had this tumor, which no one knew about. There was not much research done on that,” said Sourabh Basak.
Doctors discovered a rare ganglioglioma tumor in her brain.
“We learned that the numbing was being caused by nerve damage. The tumor was pressing on my nerves in my neck,” said Kuhu Basak. “They did a lot of like nerve tests and scans.”
Children’s Hospital in Colorado Springs didn’t exist at the time of her diagnosis. This meant the family had to travel to Denver for every treatment, chemotherapy appointment and related tests.
“She had to miss school. We had to travel to Denver twice a week or more sometimes. It was too much,” said mother Kavita Basak.
Doctors eventually identified the most effective medication for Kuhu Basak through genetic testing. It helped manage her condition and reduce those long trips to Denver.
“I'm just glad it didn't get worse, to be honest. It stayed where it was because of the treatment that I got," said Kuhu Basak. "It stayed stable, and that I'm grateful for because I can still function just fine.”
Despite struggling with her social life in her youth, she says the support she received during her medical journey helped her keep a positive outlook.
“We had our whole community behind us through everything. When I was in surgery getting the biopsy, there were [75] people in the waiting room, even though I was in there for 14 hours,” said Kuhu Basak.
The community Kuhu Basak is referring to is her close friends from ICCS. She says the organization helped her stay connected to Indian culture.
“I went to school in a predominantly white area, so I saw the difference. I felt that difference. I feel like when I look back, I feel really lucky to have this really close sense of togetherness,” she said.
The ICCS became a 501(c)3 in 2019, but it has created awareness, education, and promotion of Indian culture for nearly 50 years, according to Venkat Reddy, ICCS board member.
“It’s the community first,” said Reddy. “We’ve been a part of this community for years, and we want to make sure that we’re integrated into the community. So, we pick causes based on the needs of the community.”
The ICCS board member says it has supported multiple local organizations over the years, including the following:
- Colorado Springs Police Department
- Colorado Springs Fire Department
- Pikes Peak Library District
- UCCS
- Care and Share
- Pikes Peak Red Cross
- Morgan Adams Foundation
- CASA of the Pikes Peak Region
The proceeds from this year’s annual Cultural Charity Show will go to the Children’s Hospital Colorado in Colorado Springs to expand genetic testing for children in southern Colorado.
“It’s really about helping kids who are going through so many tests in their lives,” said Reddy. “And this one test might help them personalize the care because it’s a [genetic] testing, so doctors can be more precise about how they can help that kid.”
In a statement, the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation tells News5, “Donors can support additional genetic counselors, faster interpretation of genetic testing findings, improved collaboration with pediatricians in our community, and paths to treatment.”
The ICCS hopes to raise $50,000 during this weekend’s event to help create an endowment fund for genetic testing at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Colorado Springs.
“Kids who are dealing with this type of thing, having access to it here, locally, will make a massive difference in them being able to live their life while they’re going through something so difficult,” said Kuhu Basak.
This year's theme is Saanjh...a twilight of traditions. Tickets for the ICCS Cultural Charity Showcase start at $44. It’s happening on Nov. 1, 2025, at 4 p.m. at Mitchell High School.
Event details and ticket links are available here.
Read Full Statement from the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation below:
"Philanthropy from the community helps Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs expand genetic testing for kids in southern Colorado and enables more families to get the answers they need faster. Donors can support additional genetic counselors, faster interpretation of genetic testing findings, improved collaboration with pediatricians in our community, and paths to treatment. We’re grateful for support from ICCS, whose generous contributions will help us expand access to genetic testing for children in southern Colorado, leading to faster, more accurate diagnoses and treatment pathways that will be most effective for their conditions."
This story was written by KOAA News5 reporter Kierra Sam. Have a story? Send an email to kierra.sam@koaa.com
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