Wednesday, March 8, 2023 was a dual delight for everyone. It marked the joyful festival of colours – Holi as well as International Women’s Day. Both were enthusiastically celebrated at St. Judes India Childcare Centres (SJICC).
Holi is the festival of colours, love and spring. The auspicious day also signifies the triumph of good over evil. After Holika Dahan, the next day is celebrated by playing with colours, eating sweets and spending time with friends and family.
Our brave hearts at St. Judes have been valiantly fighting cancer. It requires great strength and courage, not just for these innocent ones but also for their families to battle this fatal disease. St. Judes ‘Home away from Home’, organised Holi celebrations to add some colours of joy into their lives.
It was heartwarming to see the happiness on their faces as the children participated in a colouring session at our Cotton Green centre in Mumbai.
Our Jaipur and Hyderabad centres witnessed children and their families enjoying Holi with natural and organic colours. These herbal colours were made from vegetable pastes.
At Delhi centres, mothers treated everyone with delicious festive food – Gujiya and Namak Paare.
Families and their young ones made beautiful rangolis from flowers at our Kolkata centres.
In a joyful amalgamation of celebration with safety, Children at Kharghar centres celebrated the day with flower and vegetable powders. They also made attractive handprint art.
Apart from enjoying the celebrations by playing with colours, children from our Varanasi centres engaged in creative art and craft activities.
Children at our Guwahati centres wore handmade newspaper covers over their clothes to prevent them from getting messy during playing Holi.
We were immensely happy to have added colourful splashes of joy into the lives of these children.
Being a woman is indeed a superpower. Be it a mother, sister, daughter or companion. ‘International Women’s Day’ is celebrated to honour and salute the power of women.
This International Women’s Day, seven of our childhood cancer survivors, referred to as Judians, along with 12 mothers from West Bengal gathered at Kolkata’s Eco Urban Village. St. Judes organised fun and engaging activities for them at the venue. The session started with an introductory activity, a short dance performance followed by a role-play on Women’s Empowerment and an open group discussion.
The event was organised by St. Judes for life (Founded in Memory of Mrs. Rani Vicaji) – our initiative that works towards the betterment of lives of those who have survived cancer. It aims at their long-term well-being that includes completion of education, enhancing life skills and ensuring employment.
The occasion was the first time that mothers participated in a group activity after their children had successfully completed their treatment. It was heartening to see the zest for life on the faces of all these mothers.
Celebrating such events and days brings calm into the lives of these children and their families. With your support and love, St. Judes will continue to make a happier and healthier difference in their lives.
