Goal: Giving children a fair chance at life post-cancer
Because: “Childhood cancer cure rates are 70-95 % and a bump in the road is not necessarily a dead-end.”
Beneficiaries: Children battling cancer
Impact focus: Skill Development
Pledge 2020: Skill Development | 1000 Kids | 1 Year
Impact so far: 2000+ Kids
Every few minutes, a child is diagnosed with cancer. The family, doctor and the child all begin a very difficult journey, and quite often, the child’s life takes a complete halt.
As the battle begins, the child is uprooted from their comforts, home environment and their schools.
When we launched #goldishappy as a means to bring holistic information and expressive art therapy to the little warriors, we discovered that so many of them, however big their battle, were still inquisitive to learn.
Cancer may have changed their lives, but their spirits were still thriving.
As September is childhood cancer month, we aim to honour it through the evolved #goldishappy, that now focuses on skill development for cancer-stricken children– so their lives can keep moving forward, and they’re right on track when they win this battle.
Awareness: Annual Event focused on the importance of skill development in paediatric cancer journeys
Impact: Curate and distribute skill hampers to cancer kids across the country.
Measurement: Our unique tools provide analysis on project impact and positive influence on cancer patients.
Want to upskill your child through his/her cancer journey?
Testimonials
I couldn’t go to school any more which made me really sad. When treatment started, it made me so weak I felt like I couldn’t do anything anymore. But over these 4 months, I’m slowly getting stronger. I think the medication is working so even though it’s painful I don’t mind. Plus, for the last couple of weeks, I started doing art. Every Friday I wait for the teachers so I can learn something new. I like art so much that I’ve even made my own Ganpati at home! When I draw, I forget that I am sick and I dream of what I can do with my life. Someday I want to be an architect or make cartoons. Maybe my art will help some other kid like me one day!
Shriraj Bhosle
“I have two brothers. One of them is back home in UP—they both take turns to be with me during my treatment and keep my mom company when I am sleeping. I like to draw and color and make sure I color within the lines. The way to do it is to go slow like me.
Making art makes me so happy, especially when I’m doing it with my brother. Sometimes my medicines are too strong and I become weak and it’s very difficult to do anything. But I just tell myself what I learned through my art—slowing down is OK and it’s not always a bad thing. Slowly I will get better. Plus, it’s not too bad, I’m already on my 5th month of treatment and I get to go home soon!”
“He’s my cancer best friend—what I mean is that he’s the first friend I made when I started treatment here 6 months ago.
We do everything together! From eating eggs to going to treatments, he’s always holding my hand. We especially like to make art together. I think I draw better than him though.
Some days it was really hard to even smile and yet he’s made me laugh—even through the pain he can make me giggle. He’s by my side no matter what.
So today is really special—as always he’s right next to me when I can finally say, ‘I beat cancer!’ Besides the medication, being with him and doing things together made me strong.
I’m ready to go home but I’m really going to miss him! But we’ve made a promise—we’ll be friends forever!”
Chanakya
