Each year in India, more than 50,000 children are diagnosed with cancer. While medical advancements have significantly improved survival rates, many children—especially from underprivileged families—fail to complete their treatment due to lack of access to clean accommodation in cities of treatment, proper nutrition, and emotional support. With limited resources, families arriving from small towns and villages are often forced to live on pavements outside hospitals, exposing children to secondary infections and pushing them to the brink of abandoning treatment altogether.
As the world concludes Cancer Survivor Month, we shine the spotlight on St. Jude India ChildCare Centres- a place which has been giving hope, strength and support to such families for two decades.
An Inspired Beginning
The idea for St. Judes was sparked by a moment of unexpected joy. Mr. Nihal Kaviratne, one of the founders, was moved by the sight of children battling cancer—dancing, laughing, and celebrating life at a function. Despite enduring painful treatment regimens, their resilience stood out. However, the full picture of those children and their families was far from pleasant. Underprivileged families were often unable to afford decent accommodation in big cities where cancer care is concentrated. They were sleeping on footpaths, exposing their immunocompromised children to fatal infections. The financial and psychological toll of the disease was too much bear and in some cases, such families ended up abandoning treatment.
This moment of inspiration and realization led to the creation of St. Judes in 2006, co-founded by Shyama and Nihal Kaviratne and a dedicated group of volunteers. Their goal was simple yet transformative: to provide underprivileged families a safe, hygienic, and supportive place to stay while their child received outpatient cancer treatment.
Today, St. Judes operates 49 Centres with 598 family units across 11 cities—Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chennai, Vellore, Guwahati, Delhi, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, and Muzaffarpur.
The Model: Addressing a Need That Often Went Unnoticed
St. Judes has developed an innovative model of holistic care for families with children undergoing cancer treatment. Its “home away from home” offers a hygienic, protective, nurturing environment which gives the children the best chance of beating cancer. St. Judes creates a community for the families, who come from all over India, speak different languages and represent all communities, but share the common goal of getting their child treated for cancer.
It works alongside Tata Memorial Hospital, AIIMS, New Delhi, Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata, and various cancer hospitals in 11 cities across India.
Three Circles of Cancer Care: St. Judes views cancer care for children as three distinct areas or circles:
- The First Circle is high-quality medical care provided by the treating hospital.
- The Second Circle is the physical environment that a child undergoing treatment requires.
- The Third Circle is the emotional support that the children and their families need.
While the First Circle is relatively well represented, St Judes provides Second and Third Circle care – areas where there is a large gap today.
Each family is offered an individual family unit equipped with all necessities for their stay. Every centre has a common community space or learning area and shared ablution facilities, a common kitchen and a dining area. Each family has their own cooking stove in the kitchen and is provided with weekly provisions for cooking. Free transport is arranged for families from the centre to the treating hospitals.
Core Facilities at St. Judes:
- Educational Support: Cancer doesn’t pause childhood. Educational activities help children keep up with their peers academically. Educational activities at St. Judes enable children to learn and keep abreast of the topics and concepts being taught in school. It helps them return to mainstream school after completing their treatment. The curriculum is specially designed to cater to children who come from different backgrounds, regions, and mediums of instruction. These children also belong to different age groups. Thus, care is taken to provide an inclusive curriculum that is applicable to all age groups. Even though the topic is the same, every student learns at their own level and pace.
- Emotional and Psychological Counseling: Counseling is considered an important tool to deal with the stress of treatment. It helps parents and children cope with the rigours of the disease with greater strength and a positive mindset. It encourages listening, empathy, and provides a way for children and parents to express feelings of anxiety, sadness, fear of the known and unknown, anger, depression, helplessness and other emotions that may arise due to the diagnosis and treatment. Children raise issues about their future and quality of life after treatment. Honest and open conversations help build a bond of trust with both counsellors and parents.
- Nutrition and Recovery: A healthy diet boosts immunity, reduces the risk of secondary infections and side-effects of the treatment and ensures faster recovery. St. Judes works closely with doctors from partner hospitals to ensure that the daily nutritional needs of the children and their caregivers are met. Families are provided weekly rations and nutritional supplements. The mothers cook for their families in the kitchen area, where each family has a dedicated stove. A balanced diet builds the children’s immune system, increases blood count, supports weight and height gain, and ensures completion of treatment without delays.
St. Judes For Life
St. Judes’ credo has always been, ‘Once a St. Judes child, always a St. Judes child’. In keeping with this vision, St. Judes For Life was launched in 2020 in memory of Mrs. Rani Vicaji to ensure that children who stayed at the various St. Judes Centres during their treatment can fulfill their potential after they have survived cancer.
The initiative provides timely assistance to St. Judes alumni- referred to as Judians- to complete their education, maintain good health, and lead successful lives. These are children from underprivileged families in different parts of the country who have recovered from cancer and are back home leading normal lives.
Stories of Strength
Sonal Vishwambhar Gawai: Sonal’s life took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at just 9 years old. Coming from a modest village near Akola in Maharashtra, access to information and treatment was limited. Yet, with the support of her family and St. Judes, Sonal bravely battled cancer and emerged stronger.
She completed her B.Com and later began working at a business management training institute in Jalgaon, where she gained valuable professional experience. Family responsibilities later forced her to pause her career, but her desire to be financially independent never faded.
That opportunity came when she heard about a job mela specifically organised for childhood cancer survivors. For Sonal, this was not just a job fair—it was a platform to reclaim her dreams and identity.
She got selected at the job mela and began working as a Centre Officer at St. Judes India from June 2nd this year. She firmly believes that “a girl can do everything”—a conviction that guides her every step. Sonal says: “I want to achieve something in life. Not just for myself, but for every girl who’s ever been told she can’t.”
Meheraj Ali: At the age of 13, Meheraj Ali was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. His journey brought him to St. Judes, where he not only received support during treatment but also found inspiration that would shape his future. Deeply moved by the unwavering care and compassion of the staff, Meheraj developed a strong desire to give back to the community that had supported him during his toughest times.
He went on to pursue higher education and completed his graduation in History Honours. In March, he began an internship at the Kolkata 2 Centre of St. Judes. His sincerity, dedication, and positive spirit stood out immediately. Recognising his potential and passion for working with children, the team encouraged him to apply for a teaching position.
Over the following year, Meheraj served as a teacher at the K2 Centre, where he mentored and guided young children with empathy, kindness, and encouragement. As an Ambassador of St. Judes For Life, he exemplified leadership and inspired both survivors and staff alike. Now, at 25, Meheraj’s journey has come full circle. After participating in the Job Mela, he was interviewed for the role of Centre Officer in St. Judes. His lived experience and firsthand understanding of the organisation’s mission made him a suitable candidate for the role, and he is all set to join.
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