A MIGHTY BATTLE: Rajendra Aneja writes on how Africa can help children fighting cancer

Three-year-old Rohit, is a delightful child, from Alwar, India. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with blood cancer. His   parents, from a modest background, were confounded. Rohit’s father, Suraj, works as an office-boy. His mother, Alka is a homemaker. They made their way to JK Lon Hospital, Jaipur, where their child could get treated. They had no place to stay. They would spend the nights in the hospital corridors or the streets. Then, somebody told them about a Kavita Cancer Care Centre, managed by St. Jude, in Jaipur, which provided free accommodation, food, and creative daytime activities for children suffering from cancer. They were pleasantly surprised with the warm reception, the pleasing bedroom, the hygienic kitchen and the colourful drawing materials.

Rohit cheerfully settled down at the centre. He quickly made friends with the other children undergoing treatment and the staff. Now, Rohit has improved and returned home. 

Three-year-old Shabnam hails from West Champaran, India. She was diagnosed with cancer (retinoblastoma). Her father is a carpenter and her mother is a homemaker. They had little money. Somehow, they reached the AIIMS, a hospital in Delhi. However, they had no place to stay. The parents of other children at the hospital, told them about a St. Jude Centre. Shabnam could now be treated humanely. 

All the St. Jude centres, offer the families an individual unit to stay during the treatment. Basic provisions like flour, rice, lentils, sugar, salt, oil, soaps, etc., are provided free every week. Each family has a cooking stove in the kitchen. Every centre has common community, learning, kitchen, dining and recreation areas.

Shabnam enjoys showing her colourful drawings to the other children at the centre. The art sessions distract her mind away from the treatment, which she is undergoing.   

The St Jude facility in Jaipur was established in 2014, as the Kavita Cancer Care Centre. The prominent Kanodia family donated the building, furniture, and office equipment. A beautiful playground and garden, with fruit and flower trees, developed under the guidance of Mrs. Sujata Kanodia, creates a healing environment for the children.

The Centre houses 40 children. The complex in a gorgeous landscape, is in the memory of the Kanodia’s daughter Kavita, who passed away due to cancer at the age of 22.

Mr. Kaviratne the founder of St. Jude, recalls how the Jaipur centre started, “Ashish Kanodia called me to say, “My family has a large plot of land,” he said. “We would like to build and equip a building to your specs, capable of housing three Centres, with room for further expansion later and give it to you free of cost to manage.”  “Wonderful,” we said. “There’s only one request,” he added. It was, “Alongside St. Judes, the signage could name the Centres after my sister Kavita who passed away after a battle with cancer.” There was no way Ashish could have known that Kavitha was also the name of Mr. Kaviratne’s sister, who had passed away in a tragic accident nearly 40 years earlier.

St. Jude’s now has fifth centre in Delhi. The space was provided by Dr. Satinder Sabherwal, a qualified ophthalmologist. He owns the Shree Jeewan Hospital. He dedicated a wing of the hospital in memory of his son, Dr. Virendra Sabherwal who passed away during the pandemic. He visited the St. Jude centres in Noida and observed the overwhelming relief to cancer suffering children. Dr. Sabherwal and his wife collaborated, to establish a St. Jude centre on their hospital premises.

St. Judes in Delhi provides holistic care to 51 children. The children undergoing treatment at the AIIMS hospital, Delhi stay at the centres. The first four centres were launched in 2013, in Noida. These centres provide holistic care to 42 children and their families.

St. Judes’ credo has always been, “Once a St. Judes child, always a St. Judes child”. To honour this commitment, “St. Judes For Life” was launched in 2020. The children are encouraged to fulfil their potential after they survive.

The St. Judes for Life programme, guides the alumni (Judians) to complete their education, maintain good health and lead productive lives. These children, from underprivileged families, across India, have recovered from cancer and lead normal lives. Currently, the programme has 1,400 Judians.

From the time a child afflicted with cancer, enrols with St. Judes, till he recovers and becomes independent and self-sufficient, he receives guidance and support, through experienced professionals. The cancer-surviving children are offered financial assistance, online courses and digital devices. Medical needs that arise post-treatment, are also funded. Counselling is provided to teenagers. NGO partners provide youngsters with opportunities to upgrade their vocational skills for future employment and livelihoods.

An arrangement with Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Ltd., resulted in a first-of-its-kind initiative, to provide insurance cover to cancer survivors. All the cancer-surviving Judians are covered. 

St. Judes has now completed 17 years of providing hope and shelter to children battling cancer. When it started, eight children and their families lived at the first Centre in Mumbai. Now, St. Judes has 39 Centres in nine cities.  Today, more than 492 children, and their families, live under its care.

During these 17 years, 5,979 children batting cancer have found refuge and solace in St. Judes rooms. They have had 11,42,135 nights of peaceful sleep, as they fought cancer.

Well-meaning citizens like the founders of St. Jude, Mrs. and Mr. Nihal Kaviratne, the Kanodia family and the Dr. Sabherwal family have given of their time, energy, resources and goodwill to helping children afflicted with cancer. They are like candles, who light more candles around them.

Rich Africans can light many such candles in the continent and change lives. Dag Hammarskjold, a former Secretary-General of the United Nations, once said, “In our era, the road to holiness, necessarily lies, through the world of action.” Helping cancer afflicted children across Africa, through the efforts of citizens, is also a form of holiness.

Aneja was the Managing Director of Unilever Tanzania. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School and is the author of “Little Thoughts for a Better World”