Ahead of Christmas, a new home opens for families of children with cancer

The day before a childrsquos chemotherapy is difficult for a parent Your world shrinks and you can only think about tomorrowrdquo says Shyama Kaviratane In a city where every square foot comes with a premium that waiting often plays out on the streets for parents of children with cancer Cofounder of St Jude ChildCare Centres alongside Nihal Kaviratane Shyama has seen it up close Nearly two decades and 68 centres after the duo first saw families camping outside Tata Memorial Hospital in Parel a new centre opened in Wadala late last monthShyama Kaviratane in pink inaugurates the new Wadala centreAccording to the Tata Memorial Hospitalrsquos 2024 report there was a 12 per cent increase in diagnostic investigations leading to a total of 26000 admissions ldquoWith no safe and clean place to call home families sometimes abandon treatment prematurelyrdquo reveals Kaviratane who is now based in SingaporeFeels like homeThe centres host compact rooms or lsquounitsrsquo that are designed to replicate community living and foster a sense of equality among its temporary residents ldquoWe have stuck by the original layout of the units ever since we opened our first centre in Parel in 2006 The rooms offer basic accommodation sans fancy installations The only change if any is that we now have charging points for mobile phones Children seem to love their screensrdquo Kaviratane chucklesThe centres host identical compact units to promote a sense of equalityWith a common kitchen and an activity area in place the families naturally bond over their shared emotions we learn ldquoOur cooking hours are limited lest mothers fall back into the habit of practically spending the day in the kitchen We actively encourage the fathers to take up kitchen duties as well Over time we noticed families sharing meals with each other Testing times can be a great reminder of human valuesrdquo Kaviratane addsSeason of givingA resident with his art canvas PICS COURTESYST JUDE CHILDCARE CENTREWith centres across 13 cities now therersquos always room for kindness the cofounder reminds us This Christmas the centres offer packages such as Snowflake Wishes Support Stocking Candy Cane Ride and Santarsquos Pantry to lend a helping hand Kaviratane points out that as a blanket policy the centres do not accept donations in physical cash Those keen can choose from the packages that provide well balanced meals transport to the hospital and educational supportA family attends a counselling session at the centreMany like lsquoJudianrsquo Sanika Jadhav will be looking back at their journey this season of giving A leukaemia patient who walked through the doors of the Parel centre in 2012 Jadhav is now pursuing a Masters in Analytical Chemistry and hopes to enrol into a PhD programme soon Many Judians who have accomplished their dreams often return to take young residents under their wing Kaviratane revealsOutside the boxChildren pore over a storybookEach centre is home to families of children under the age of 15 Between trips to the hospital the families spend at least an hour in counselling or practising some form of art ldquoArt is an inseparable part of every childrsquos life We cannot let a cancer diagnosis steal that joy from them Our music art and craft sessions keep children and their families engaged and distracted from the harsh realities of liferdquo the cofounder explains The day before a childrsquos chemotherapy is tough ldquoThe key is to keep them engaged today and leave as little time as possible to worry about tomorrowrdquo Kaviratane signs offAT St Jude ChildCare Centre RJ Gaikwad Road Wadala EastLOG ON TO stjudechildorg to learn more or donate