Imagine being a young mother. Your kid has just turned 4 years old. You’re enjoying watching them grow a little bit every day. Sometimes they look at you with a loving sparkle in their eyes, and sometimes it’s a naughty twinkle. ‘I will do anything for this child’, you think to yourself.

One day, out of nowhere, the unimaginable arrives. You get ushered into a doctor’s office, seated across the table, and you’re told that your beloved little 4-year-old has cancer.

It’s motherhood, put to the ultimate test. It’s scary. It’s confusing. It’s hard to comprehend. This isn’t normal motherhood. There’s likely to be no one in your social circle who can even remotely understand or guide you.

And that’s where a Cuddles Nutritionist also becomes a mother’s invaluable go-to person. She has to think, act, and nurture “Just Like Ma”. This is exactly the kind of bond Rosy — our nutritionist at a partner hospital — shares with Sathi Dolai, the doting mother of 4-year-old Sayantika, who is currently being treated for Neuroblastoma. This is a cancer that affects developing nerve cells and occurs mostly in young children. ”Coming to a big hospital like this, meeting so many people, seeing your child in pain – it’s all so overwhelming,“ Sathi tells us. ”Once I learnt to trust Rosy, it felt like a little weight was lifted off my shoulders.”

From Rosy’s side of the story, this has been no easy case. When Sayantika was admitted in the hospital, not only was she weak and suffering from cancer, but was moderately undernourished as well. Her 24-hr recall – (a method used to assess an individual’s dietary intake by having them recall all foods and drinks they consumed over the previous 24 hours) – indicated her intake was only at 18-20% of what it should be. Once Sayantika was put on our In-meals and Supplements programme, Rosy was able to increase her intake to 100%, – but despite this and because of the disease, her nutritional status further deteriorated to severe undernourishment.

“No matter how many times I see it, it’s heartbreaking to witness a mother watch their child go through the lows of cancer therapy. There were some instances where I had to really hold Sathi’s hand through the hardest of decisions. It wasn’t easy for her to allow us to use a Ryles Tube– a thin, flexible tube inserted through the nose into the stomach to help with feeding. When we finally got her consent and inserted the tube, Sayantika removed it. So I reworked the feeding tube plan to a similar oral plan and monitored her food intake even more zealously. And slowly her intake improved. While she was discharged from the hospital post her chemo period, she was still severely malnourished. So we put her on the monthly ration plans, and I worked closely with her mother to understand her child’s likes and dislikes. Together, we created a tailored meal plan, incorporating whole foods and nutrient-dense snacks. Her body responded positively over time, and she’s now gained weight and has become well nourished.”

Sathi says, “After we started following the diet plan from our Cuddles nutritionist, Rosy, and receiving the monthly ration and supplement support, my little girl not only got stronger, but her mood improved too. She wanted to play and learn again, and my heart is so filled with joy. I’m so grateful to everyone who has supported my family and my child—Rosy has truly been a blessing, and knowing that so many people are helping feed my child every day means I have not lost her because of you.”

As we celebrate our darling mothers this Mother’s Day, let’s remember that by supporting a child in their fight against cancer, we’re following in our mom’s footsteps – feeding a child, nourishing their body and lifting their spirit to fight even the hardest of fights.