Every Move Helps a Child Fight Cancer

The pandemic has pushed many households in to poverty and distress, this includes families of children suffering from Cancer. While there was an evident disruption of essential healthcare services to these extremely vulnerable groups of children, they were also faced with lack of adequate nutrition which is extremely essential to support their treatment. Your contribution of ₹6,000 to the FoodHeals Program can provide ration bundle, supplements, in-meals, hot meals, and fruits for a child and their family for a month.

Every day, we see children fight cancer with everything they’ve got. But sometimes that’s not enough. 40% of all Indian children with cancer are malnourished at the time of diagnosis. 100% of them can fight harder with better nutrition.

That’s right, there’s hope for every child with cancer!

However, the constant disruption of health services during COVID has presented a serious challenge to maintaining quality care for children with cancer. The pandemic has disrupted diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients.* The collateral impact of COVID on the livelihoods of parents and caregivers has made it difficult for these children to get the right nutrition.

Lack of adequate nutrition during cancer impacts treatment

→ Slows treatment response

→ Increases cost of care

→ Leads to poor health & growth indicators

*https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/EDBK_321497

Through our FoodHeals Program, we address nutritional needs for children with cancer because with the right nutrition and care, a child experiences:

→ Reduced side-effects and treatment complications

→ Fewer breaks or delays in treatment

→ Improved chances for survival

→ Better immunity against infection

→ A feeling of being supported and cared for

We provide children with counselling and food aid, including monthly ration bundles that feed a family of four. Each bundle contains 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 total calorie requirement for the child per day and contributes to the nutritional requirements of the family members too.

Source - https://www.nin.res.in/RDA_short_Report_2020.html - Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for a 5-year-old is 1360 Kcals (Pg12)

• When part of the FoodHeals Program, 81% of patients increased their nutritional status or did not show a deterioration in nutritional status despite cancer therapy like chemotherapy or radiation*
• Patients are more likely to complete treatment, with 95% of new patients returning for a second visit or continuing treatment*

*as per annual impact report 21-22 of Cuddles Foundation