St Judes’ commitment to the mission of illuminating the lives of children and families afflicted with Childhood Cancer is clearly demonstrated by the single-minded and unyielding focus it places on the child at the core.

Going by the words of Carl Lentz,

“Our job is not the harvest; our job is the seed.”

This philosophy was beautifully evident in the harvest festival celebrations organised at all its centres pan India. The cheery optimism and celebratory mood of the festivities was brought home for these little warriors who got to celebrate the day with much fanfare. The centres were decorated with posters depicting the harvest festival, and everyone dressed up in traditional attire

What would Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Magh Bihu and Pongal be without the traditional sweets and kite-flying activities? Children and their families had a fun time engaging in kite-making and enjoyed the sweet delights of traditional food amongst other activities.

At St. Judes’ Jaipur centres, we organized a kite-making contest between families.. The children not only bonded with their parents , but also their friends and other families in the centre while making and flying these colourful, handmade kites. It was indeed highly satisfying witnessing the look of glee on their little faces.

The Delhi centres were filled with an entirely different vibe. A mood of merry making was evident as children and their families danced to Punjabi music, making it an eventful Lohri for all. The celebrations were completed with the distribution of peanuts, popcorn and sweets to all families.

Marg Bihu was celebrated with mothers cooking delicious, traditional delicacies like til pitha and ghila pitha to mark the occasion. The children and their families enjoyed the day by cooking and eating together and offering their gratitude.

Beautiful Rangolis adorned the ambience while spreading the colour and cheers of the festive pongal celebrations at the Hyderabad centres. The children flew kites and played other games, making the celebrations more fun and memorable.

The children at the Varanasi centres also flew kites together, bonding with one another. They enjoyed their time with each other while spreading positivity and joy.

Overall, the harvest festival was celebrated with much joy and excitement in all St. Judes centres. Despite not having the privilege of celebrating this important festivity back at their homes, St. Judes succeeded in making the spirit of the harvest festival come alive at its centres.

St. Judes hopes to continue to make a change in the lives of these young cancer warriors. Every donation, big or small, goes a long way in transforming these children’s lives. We look forward to your support to these young residents for give them the best chance to beat the disease.