Support migrant cancer affected children with monthly rations by Cuddles Foundation

Cuddles foundation through this program works on providing holistic nutrition to underprivileged children suffering from cancer we’ve noticed that families that move to other cities for treatment of their children don’t have enough to eat due to financial constraints - they’ve often left their jobs and mortgaged their assets to barely afford treatment and stay in the big city. This affects the child’s daily calorie intake, ability to fight cancer, and worsens the family’s financial situation. The chances of abandoning treatment are very high without additional support for the family. Cuddles Ration Program provides a family of four with an adequate monthly ration. The ration basket is designed to feed a family of three and provides food for all-around nutritional support. It consists of 30 less perishable, dry ingredients required by a mother to make a variety of foods for her sick child. The food products are branded and consist of regional staple cereals, pulses, millets, nuts and oilseeds, ghee, oil, spices and condiments, salt, jaggery, sugar, and basic personal hygiene products. Along with the staple cereals and pulses, certain other cereals, pulses, and millets that are nutritionally more beneficial for the child’s health and relevant to the region he comes from are also included. Like moth beans (matki), nachni satva, sorghum (jowar) flour for kids from the west; urad dal, nachni, satva for the south; and so on.

Cities, regions, areas, etc covered: To date, we have partnered with 35 hospitals across 21 cities in India. We have a presence in Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Delhi, Srinagar, Guwahati, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Vellore, Madurai, Thalassery, Hyderabad, Dibrugarh, Varanasi, Manipal, Belgaum, Raipur, Trichy.

How did the program help and impact the people: Considering that a large majority of Cuddles’ beneficiaries earn less than Rs. 10,000 per month, the distribution of nutrition aid is essential. 1100 kcal- Average kilocalories given per child per day with the ration program.

Through this program, we have successfully been able to provide monthly ration kits. to patients across different hospitals in 21 cities. From Jan 22 to June 22, we distributed approx. 140 monthly ration kits to children.

We will continue to provide ration support to children with cancer in need at unfunded hospitals and we are not facing any particular challenge.

Vision - To ensure all children fighting cancer have a chance at cure through clinical nutritional care

Mission 2027 - To bring life-saving nutrition to 80% of children seeking treatment for cancer. FoodHeals Programme active in 70 hospitals across India.

6-year-old Shahid from Pratapgarh, UP is currently undergoing treatment for Ewing Sarcoma at Sion Hospital, Mumbai. Shahid's father is unemployed due to ill-health and was understandably worried about his means to afford his son’s surgery and treatment.

Like Shahid's family, a large majority of Cuddles' beneficiaries come from households that earn less than Rs. 10,000 per month. 80% of caregivers also have very little knowledge about the right foods to feed their child when they are first diagnosed with cancer.

Cancer therapy can trigger many side effects. These effects are often exacerbated by poor appetite and that further compromises a child’s nutritional status. That’s where good food saves the day. And that’s why the ration bundles you help fund give many children like Shahid increased chances of a complete recovery.

These monthly ration bundles help feed a family of four. Each bundle packs cereals, pulses, millets, nuts and oilseeds, ghee, oil, spices, condiments and basic personal hygiene products. At 4,400 kcal/day, the ration bundle fulfills 100% of the child's total calorie requirement per day. Given their poor financial condition, Shahid's family also needed support by way of food and nourishment. It is important for the family to be physically strong so that they can cope with the logistics of taking care of a sick child. Therefore the ration bundle contributes to the nutritional needs of caregivers too and adds ₹3,200 to their income per month. This financial aid coupled with nutritional counseling ensures that Shahid has a chance to reclaim his life despite his humble background.

Shahid's story comes with a silver lining. Shahid's time interacting with doctors and nutritionists at Sion Hospital has triggered his interest in the medical profession. Vibha Mehta, our nutritionist at Sion Hospital, adds, "Shahid is very fascinated with how cancer therapy works. He follows the dietary instructions and shows a lot of interest by initiating conversations about his treatment. I have also witnessed a clear change in his behaviour from when I first met him. He is outgoing and mixes well with the people at the hospital."

Shahid is in class two, and he views his treatment as an extension of his studies. He says, "I enjoy studying a lot. I learn something new every time I talk to a doctor or a nutritionist. They are my teachers right now."

We hope that Shahid recovers fully to pursue his quest for knowledge. This would not have been possible without your support. And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

During COVID, when people have been struggling for basic necessities, the ration baskets provided by the Cuddles Foundation have been a source of great relief. It is sufficient for a family of four for one month.

We gave 6200+ baskets across 34 hospitals from July 21-Dec. 21.

Due to COVID related restrictions, it was difficult at times for parents to travel to collect the ration baskets, and the bigger stores were not able to help beyond a point. Hence, we pivoted our strategy and tied up with local vendors. This helped us in 2 ways: first, we are supporting smaller local businesses now, and second, these vendors ensured delivery was made to the families who are unable to travel.

If the situation with respect to COVID improves, we will restart the Parent Support Group meetings and hot meals in many hospitals where they have been discontinued.

Like Shahid’s family, a large majority of Cuddles’ beneficiaries come from households that earn less than Rs. 10,000 per month. 80% of caregivers also have very little knowledge about the right foods to feed their children when they are first diagnosed with cancer.

Cancer therapy can trigger many side effects. These effects are often exacerbated by poor appetite, and that further compromises a child’s nutritional status. That’s where good food saves the day. And that’s why the ration bundles you help fund give many children like Shahid increased chances of a complete recovery.

These monthly ration bundles help feed a family of four. Each bundle packs cereals, pulses, millets, nuts, oilseeds, ghee, oil, spices, condiments, and basic personal hygiene products. At 4,400 kcal/day, the ration bundle fulfills 100% of the child’s total calorie requirement per day. Given their poor financial condition, Shahid’s family also needed support by way of food and nourishment. It is important for the family to be physically strong so that they can cope with the logistics of taking care of a sick child. Therefore, the ration bundle contributes to the nutritional needs of caregivers too and adds 3,200 to their income per month. This financial aid, coupled with nutritional counseling, ensures that Shahid has a chance to reclaim his life despite his humble background.

Shahid’s story comes with a silver lining. Shahid’s time interacting with doctors and nutritionists at Sion Hospital has triggered his interest in the medical profession. Vibha Mehta, our nutritionist at Sion Hospital, adds,

“Shahid is very fascinated with how cancer therapy works. He follows the dietary instructions and shows a lot of interest by initiating conversations about his treatment. I have also witnessed a clear change in his behaviour from when I first met him. He is outgoing and mixes well with the people at the hospital. ”

Shahid is in class two, and he views his treatment as an extension of his studies.

He says, “I enjoy studying a lot. Every time I talk to a doctor or a nutritionist, I learn something new. They are my teachers right now.

We hope that Shahid recovers fully and can pursue his quest for knowledge. This would not have been possible without your support. And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Milestones - We added two new hospitals added 1. Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Center, Silchar [15 May 2021]2. SRCC, Mumbai [01 Jan 2021]We are now present in 20 cities across the country4100 patients impacted [Jan01-June30] with 48000+ counselsThey were given Nutrition counselling & Aid, which helped them undertake chemotherapy, with reduced side effects & infections and maintained or improved their overall grade of malnourishment

Challenges faced - Patient turnout impacted on account of lockdown. Vendor delivery also impacted on account of Travel restrictionsTo overcome these hurdles we gave additional Aid to patients to take care of the period when they are unable to travel. We also distributed Masks & sanitisers to help with hygiene during CovidOur Goal for the next 6 months is to add 5 more Hospitals and reach out to more children

Our influences during our formative years shape the rest of our lives. The importance of teaching healthy habits during childhood cannot be emphasised enough considering how malleable a child's personality is. A nurturing environment can empower a child to deal with any crisis as an adult. 15-year-old Mohit (Named changed due to Privacy laws) is lucky to have parents who raised him on a steady dose of love and yoga. Unfortunately, his resilience was put to the test when he was diagnosed with B-Cell ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia) in 2019. "My father used to hide and cry when I started receiving chemotherapy and IV injections because my mother and I were initially unaware about cancer. Then one day, when I read in my file 'Leukaemia,' I Googled it and realised I have cancer," says Mohit, who can be an inspiration for both adults and children. Mohit's awareness of his condition and the ability to articulate it bravely is a source of strength for him and his family. Despite his diagnosis, Mohit has stuck to his early morning routine of doing yoga at 5. "It helps me de-stress and gives me a clear state of mind," adds Mohit, who is now under maintenance cycle and is back in his hometown, Buldhana, which is 490 km from Mumbai. "Initially, we were very overwhelmed with the cost of the treatment because Mohit's diagnosis happened in the middle of the lockdown. I work in the local court, and my work was affected because of this. The city of Mumbai can be tough to figure out if you are from a small town. But the help we received because of Cuddles’ Ration, In-Meal and Supplement Program made a lot of difference. I am positive about Mohit's recovery," adds Mohit's father, who is also his son's listening board and source of strength. Samina, our nutritionist at KEM Mumbai, adds, "Mohit and his family are one of the nicest people I have met. They look out for themselves and others around them. Mohit's father would often check on how my family was coping with the lockdown during our interactions. Mohit is also a very mature and sweet boy. Thanks to the emphasis on healthy habits in their daily lives, it was easy to work with him and his family. I am very hopeful about his recovery." Before Mohit's diagnosis, he was aiming to become an IES officer. But this experience of surviving cancer has made him rethink his life over the last few years, and he now wishes to be an Indian classical musician. Your support not only helps many children like Mohit, but it also helps to build a bright future for our society with well-adjusted human beings like him. So, thank you.

Our operations in all hospitals, which were closed for certain months due to COVID-19, have restarted fully. OPD has opened in all the Hospitals. We saw an increased number of children in almost all Hospitals, as COVID-19 seemed to be relenting. We continued our projected Nutritional supplements to all the Children.

We also started operations in a new Hospital - BALCO in Naya Raipur

Our nutritionists, who were giving telephonic counselling during the lockdown, had started going to the hospital on a rotation basis immediately after the lockdown taking all the safety measures. There were a couple of close calls when our Nutritionists fell sick, but thankfully, it was not COVID-19. In fact, we celebrated Children's day & Diwali together in November, and surprised our children with a small gift and some tasty nutritional treats! In December, we celebrated Christmas although we could not get a Christmas tree and decorations etc as we were limiting all physical contact. Children enjoyed the surprises and welcomed the celebrations, although they were subdued, with a big smile and hope.

We thank you all for your continued support during these difficult times and wish you all a Happy, Safe and a Healthy 2021!

Be a caregiver and make a difference in the lives of young kids

Childhood cancer is mostly curable. But in India, with up to 40% of children with cancer being severely malnourished at diagnosis, survival is a problem. Our mission is to change that with our FoodHeals Program. Here’s how we do it:

1. Place nutritionists in government cancer hospitals- We partner with government hospitals that need nutritional support for a large number of pediatric patients. We carefully select and train a team that has both the heart and the skill to counsel children with cancer nutritionally.


2. Provide food aid to patients- We support children and their families with free food and nutrition like nutritional supplements, hot meals, in-meals, eggs, bananas, and monthly ration baskets for a family of four.


3. Provide nutritional knowledge to caregivers

Our FoodHeals program is customised to a child’s medical condition to provide holistic nutrition to her until she finishes her treatment at the hospital. It is done as follows-

● Assess: Screening and assessment of the nutritional status of every child seeking treatment for cancer in the hospital
● Diagnose: Identification of treatment complications with nutritional implications
● Prescribe: Nutrition intervention and prescribing a customized diet plan
● Provide: Provision of food and nutrition like nutritional supplements, hot meals, in-meals, eggs, bananas, monthly ration baskets
● Monitor: Continuous nutrition monitoring and reassessment
● Support: Supporting patient families with the knowledge to make healthier food choices

By sponsoring the FoodHeals program, children experience

1. Lesser side-effects and treatment complications


2. Fewer breaks or delays in treatment


3. Improved chances for survival


4. Better immunity against infection


5. A feeling of being supported and cared for

Whats in a Ration Basket - The ration basket is designed to feed a family of Four and provides food for all-round nutritional support. It consists of 30 less perishable, dry ingredients required by a mother to make a variety of foods for the child. The food products are branded and consist of regional staple cereals, pulses, millets, nuts, seeds, ghee, oil, spices and condiments, salt, jaggery, sugar, and basic personal hygiene products. Along with the staple cereals and pulses, certain other cereals, pulses, and millets that are nutritionally beneficial for the child’s health and relevant to the region she comes from are also included. Like moth beans (matki), nachni, satva, sorghum (jowar) flour for children from the western part of the country; urad dal, nachni, satva from south; and so on.

Food heals!

Two new hospitals were catered to in the last quarter BHU Cancer Hospital in Varanasi and SRCC hosital in Mumbai. We continued our projected Ration Distribution to these Children and their families. We also arranged puppet shows during diwali and christmas celebrations for the children in the hospital. During Nov, we were featured in Kaun Banega crorepati with Amitabh Bacchan for Children Fighting cancer.
All was going well as planned till March, when we were all hit by the Covid Pandemic. The Covid pandemic at the end of the quarter brought about a bigger need for ration distribution.The initial days saw us discussing on how to tackle this new situation and we quickly got our act together. We have started doing Nutritional counselling on the phone as parents are unable to travel to Hospitals.

Program Update

50,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year in India, of which only 22% make it to hospitals for treatment
40% of the children seeking treatment are malnourished. 90% of the pediatric oncology patients come from a low socio-economic background & 45% of these children come from BPL families. 60% of these children are from the villages and smaller towns and not from the main metropolitan cities. Their parents earn meagre incomes, so they either end up living on footpaths or dharamshalas (shelter homes)
8 out of 10 children of them lose the fight against cancer because of lack of proper nutrition and guidance on nutrition. One of the reasons is that malnourished children are 5 times more likely to develop chemotherapy intolerance leading to refusal or abandonment of treatment, and resulting in death
On most days, parents go without all 3 meals and sometimes so do the children. Since most of the families migrate to urban centers seeking treatment for the children, they do not have access to any source of income during treatment. They typically come to the city with meagre savings which get depleted quickly. Hence, they have no means of fulfilling the nutritional requirement of the children which is much needed to complete treatment. To help in this we provide ration to the families who have the cooking facility to ensure that they have one less thing to worry about and focus on ensuring the treatment of the child.

Story from the field

Jay (Name Changed) is a 5.9 years old child diagnosed with Pre B cell ALL and is undergoing Chemotherapy from last five months.
He is an extremely naughty and stubborn boy. Generally, all boys are ‘Mumma’s Boys’ but our Jay wants his father around for everything - from eating food to taking medicines and also for playing or colouring. His father, a farmer has been unable to work for the last 5 months due to Jay’s illness. Jay has an elder sister also.
We at Cuddles are supporting Jay and his family with ration and nutritional supplements.
Initially Jay suffered with lots of side- effects after first chemotherapy and he was unable to hear due to some infection in the ears, mouth ulcers, loose- stools and persistent fever. Everyone was scared but his parents fought a long way and he has improved clinically. With the monthly ration taken care of by us, his family could totally concentrate on Jay and gave him proper nutritious food with the help of counselling of our nutritionists.
Recently Jay was admitted for his 2nd high dose of chemotherapy and this time he completed it without any severe side-effects. He was always seen with his favourite Oranges. He was either seen eating Oranges or clicking pictures with the “Click” of his Orange Peels.
Thanks to Donors like you Children Like Jay have not forgotten to remain naughty and lively all through the treatment. A Big Thanks to YOU

Program Update

Whats in a Ration Basket - The ration basket is designed to feed a family of three and provides food for all-round nutritional support. It consists of 30 less perishable, dry ingredients required by a mother to make a variety of foods for her sick child. The food products are branded and consist of regional staple cereals, pulses, millets, nuts and oilseeds, ghee, oil, spices and condiments, salt, jaggery, sugar and basic personal hygiene products. Along with the staple cereals and pulses, certain other cereals, pulses and millets that are nutritionally more beneficial for the child’s health and relevant to the region he comes from are also included. Like moth beans (matki), nachni satva, sorghum (jowar) flour for kids from the west; urad dal, nachni, satva for the south; and so on.

Story from the field

This is the story of a family of a 9-year-old boy, Jaggu, who is diagnosed with Wilm’s Tumor (Kidney tumor). His disease relapsed 6 months back and his family came to Delhi for further investigations and treatment and since his disease is progressive his whole family is residing near the hospital on the footpath in a tent. Jaggu’s father is employed as a labour and is earning Rs. 6,000 per month, mother is a house wife and financially, the family isn’t doing well as the monthly income of the father is not enough to feed 6 members of the family (4 children and parents). When Jaggus’s mother was aware of the ration Program of Cuddles foundation,she thought it to be of no use since she had no cooking facility. But during the counselling sessions, our nutritionists explained the importance of clean home-made cooked food throughout the treatment and the importance of nutrition. Post this the family somehow made an arrangement for the stove in their tent and was enrolled in our ration program as the father’s income wasn’t sufficient to carry out all the treatment related expenses, which included everything from the medicines cost to the food cost. In the last two months Jaggu has gained about 3 kgs in weight. At present his anthropometric measurements are as follows: Height=100.5cm, Weight=14.8kg and MUAC=12.5cm which makes him fall under the category of SAM (Severely Acute Malnutrition). According to Jaggu’s mother, her family now didn't have to worry about the food related expenses. Even though the bundle is meant for 3-4 members of a family. The first thing Jaggu wants to do is “go to school” after he gets cured. he wants to be a “policeman” once he grows up. We are sure that with supporters like you he will achieve his dream. Thanks for stepping in to support his family with ration.