Our mental well-being has a direct correlation with our physical well-being. Cancer is curable, but the road to defeating cancer can be challenging. For 9-year-old Athul, this was no different. He was angry, sad, and confused when diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia at MCC (Malabar Cancer Center), Thalassery.

Athul belongs to Malappuram, Kerala, where he lives with his parents, twin brother, and elder sister. His father, an auto-driver, is the sole breadwinner of the family. Quite understandably, this diagnosis destabilised them both emotionally and financially. Gopalakrishnan, our nutritionist at MCC, recollects his earliest memory of Athul, “When I first met Athul, he was silent and withdrawn. He had a steady life back home with his friends and family. So he was angry about the break in his routine. The physical discomfort of dealing with a disease like cancer at such a young age added to his frustrations. He was also mildly underweight. We spent a lot of time together to help him understand and follow the diet chart I had made for him. This made a lot of difference to both his physical and mental state.”

Thanks to the Monthly Ration programme you so generously support, Athul has improved his nutritional status, and his body has tolerated the medical treatment well. His weight is now optimal, and he has completed all treatment cycles. Good nutritious food has positively impacted his mental state too. During his time at the hospital, he started drawing and painting. He was also able to connect with people around him more meaningfully.

“I want everyone to be happy and smiling from their hearts. When I grow up, I want to become a doctor so I can save the lives of people who can’t afford proper medical treatment,” says the 9-year-old who has come a long way, thanks to your generosity.

In many ways, Athul is following in his father’s footsteps, who is known to help the needy by giving patients free rides to the hospital in his autorickshaw. We are glad that together we could help a family that is helpful to the community despite their financial situation.

“We are very thankful to Cuddles Foundation for providing diet counselling, ration, and emotional support to us. Thanks to all this help, we did not lose hope. I would strongly recommend other families trust the doctors and healthcare workers. Make sure you follow the diet prescribed because I have seen it work wonders on my son.” says Sini, Athul’s mother, who is happy to see her son get better.

At Cuddles Foundations, we value and nurture this bond between families, doctors, nutritionists, and social workers. The seamless coming together of all these people ensures that the child makes a full recovery with time. You are also part of our team that is doing its best to save as many lives as possible. Thank you again for making this possible.