Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
More than 200 children from across Kerala who once paused their schooling to fight cancer are now stepping back into classrooms, smiling and determined, as part of the ‘Back to School’ programme by HOPE, a child cancer care foundation. From lower kindergarten to teenagers in higher secondary - from both private and government schools - returned to school as part of the initiative.
These young warriors, treated at hospitals including Kozhikode Medical College, MVR Cancer Centre, Malabar Cancer Centre, Aster Hospital Ernakulam, RCC Thiruvananthapuram, and Amala Hospital Thrissur, were welcomed during Kerala’s school reopening celebrations today.
“Going back to school for our children marks more than just a return to classrooms—it’s a step toward reclaiming both learning and childhood after treatment,” shared Deepthi Sankaranarayanan at HOPE. “Through our ‘Bag of Joy’ initiative, we ensure that every child we support is equipped and encouraged to take that step with confidence.”
Cancer treatment often costs children at least a year of schooling, and returning to class can be emotionally overwhelming. The programme aims not just to help them academically but also to support their mental and emotional re-entry into everyday life, according to Deepthi.
The foundation, established in 2016, supports children battling cancer from hospital care to full recovery. Apart from medical treatment, it provides essential non-medical support such as accommodation, food, and help with reintegration into society. It also assists families in accessing government aid through social workers stationed across hospitals.
"On most days, we spend nearly Rs1,500 just on our child’s food, stay, and education—excluding hospital bills," said Faisal, the father of a child undergoing cancer treatment. "If the foundation hadn’t stepped in to cover these expenses, we wouldn’t have been able to continue the treatment."
With the support of psycho-oncologists, the first step was to rebuild confidence in both the children and their parents through regular counselling sessions. Efforts are also being made to ensure that, once diagnosed, each child receives continuous care from a paediatric oncologist for five years without interruption, said Dr Gayathri, a paediatric haemato-oncologist.