Can good corporate practice help the truly helpless?

Sita is a nine-year-old girl from Ratnagiri district, daughter of Sakharam and Shaku, who are landless labourers. One day, suddenly, Sita vomited blood. The local doctors advised taking her to Mumbai. After visits to municipal hospitals, they came to Tata Memorial Hospital. The doctors diagnosed that Sita suffered from acute lymphoblastic cancer. She would need to stay in Mumbai for six months for treatment. Her parents were mortified. First, their daughter had the dreaded cancer. Second, they were very poor.

Third, they had no place to stay. What could they do, to save their daughter? Social workers advised them to visit a facility called, “St. Jude”, located at the Cancer Research Society. Sita’s parents were amazed by the cleanliness and brightness of the place. After studying the case, the staff said Sita and her parents could stay at St Jude for six months. Sita’s parents asked about the cost.

The reply stunned them: they wouldn’t have to pay anything. They were escorted to a clean room. It had a bed for Sita, mattresses for them, a cupboard for clothes, towels, a cabinet for medicines. There were clean bed sheets, curtains and even colourful toys for Sita. The walls were painted sunny yellow, bringing a bright cheer to the premises. Shaku received a “starter-kit”, jars filled with rice, lentils, sugar, oil, biscuits, spices and even utensils and


soap. The toilets and laundry areas were immaculately clean. Over 5,000 children like Sita come to Mumbai annually for cancer treatment. Most of the distressed parents are abysmally poor. The treatment is funded by NGOs, hospitals and private trusts. They have no money to pay for a place to stay. After the gruelling chemotherapy sessions, the children need a soft, warm bed, nutritious food, clean water and rest.

Instead, they sleep on stone pavements. The St Jude Centres house children below the age of 12, suffering from cancer, who have to receive protracted treatment but are homeless. Their parents are agricultural labourers, workshop workers; some have an income of just about `100 per day when they do find work. Cancer treatment is a painful process, for the children and the parents. The staff at St Jude has a series of activities like painting to keep the children cheerful.

St Jude is also a haven for the parents who share experiences and provide solace to each other. They share and learn from each other, managing the agony of seeing their offspring ill, an exacting treatment, severe financial stress. The people behind St Jude’s are Nihal Kaviratne and his wife Shyama. Kaviratne worked for Unilever in senior roles as chairman of many businesses, across the globe. On his return to India, Kaviratne decided to dedicate his energies to meaningful social work. St Jude is managed like a professional company. There are manuals on “Successfully Creating and Managing a Childcare Centre”, “Handbook for Patients”, “Operating Manual”. These are detailed and specific, covering admission criteria, maintenance of centre, code of conduct, etc.

Within the short span of four years, St Jude has established seven centres and over 500 children and their parents have fought cancer, through St Jude. Socially responsible corporations like Unilever and McKinsey & Company have participated in St Jude’s cause. St Jude is a tribute to the philosophy of Kaviratne and his wife, who set out to make a difference, through action, not words. “Our philosophy,” they say, “is to think big, start small and move fast.” When the children are cured, they go back home. Many of the parents keep in touch with the staff of St Jude. Life will never be the same again for them.

They have met hope. Some children do not survive the illness. Their parents are heart-broken. The team at St Jude who nurture the children suffer with them. St Jude does not just offer a place to stay for children afflicted with cancer. It offers a chance, to live life again. Beautifully.

Rajendra Aneja is the managing director of a consulting firm. He was with Unilever for three decades in Asia, Latin America and Africa