Carnival for children under palliative care in Chennai

CHENNAI: A city-based charitable trust organised a fun fete for children under palliative care in which over 400 children in the city took part. Several game shows and competitions were conducted exclusively for them at a college in the city on Sunday.

These children get constant support from the foundation, including holistic support, finance, and education at their crucial time. Throughout the day, children and their families were spotted having an excited day at the festival which featured exquisitely curated stalls for games, books, food, art activities, entertainment, song, dance and ramp work.

Children under palliative care had a fun day at an event organised by Golden Butterflies at Stella Maris College.

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"This is the first event my child took part in after his treatment. He was not active like before. But from morning, we found him enthusiastic and mingled with other kids. It was so reliving for him and us after a long time. We wish there were more such festivals for the kids, " said Mohammad Mustafa, a parent whose child was under palliative care.

Golden Butterflies Children Palliative Care Foundation, a not-for-profit public charitable trust, has dedicated itself to bringing solace to underprivileged, terminally ill children suffering from incurable diseases like cancer, AIDS, end-stage organ failure.

"It is a awareness programme, and was organised after a discussion with the doctors at hospitals we are associated with and arranged to offer these kids a time of fun that they are no longer getting due to their ailments, " said Stella Jacqueline Matthew, Founder and Managing Trustee of the Foundation.

She added that the volunteers visit the children's houses frequently and interact with the kids and their family. Later we thought that they need leisure time to overcome their stress from treatment. And we should think they are among other children.