St. Jude India
St. Jude India ChildCare Centres (St. Judes for short) is a not-for-profit organization in India that provides free of charge shelter and holistic care to children who are undergoing cancer treatment along with their families, at Tata Memorial Hospital and other treating hospitals. It is a Section 8 non-profit company supported by individuals, corporate houses and Charity Trusts. Founded in 2006 by Nihal and Shyama Kaviratne, St. Judes has 38 centres located in Mumbai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Delhi, Jaipur, Vellore, Chennai, Varanasi, and Hyderabad. The holistic care includes an infection free environment conducive to the child's recovery, educational and recreational services for the children and their parents and counselling services throughout the duration of their treatment. Those children who come back for maintenance and follow up can once again stay at one of the centres.
| Founded | April 2006 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Shyama Kaviratne & Nihal Kaviratne |
| Type | Section 8 Company under MCA, Govt of India |
| Focus | Free accommodation and holistic support for under-privileged children suffering from cancer |
| Location | |
| Website | http://www.stjudechild.org/ |
About St. Judes
Parents bring their cancer-affected children from distant villages and towns in India all the way to large cities where they can get medical treatment at minimum or zero cost. During the treatment there are intermittent periods of rest when the child recuperating from chemotherapy treatment must be protected against opportunistic secondary infections resulting from unhygienic conditions and poor quality food. The unavailability of hygienic shelter and nutritious food often forces the parents to abandon their child's treatment. By providing the child and the parents with infection free accommodation and the necessary nutritional support, St. Judes makes a crucial intervention leading to the child's recovery and a noticeable increase in the survival rates of child patients with cancer.
In addition, St. Judes also addresses the educational, recreational and emotional needs of the families under its care by organizing customized educational programmes, celebrations of cultural events and outings. Transport facilities too are extended to patients for hospital visits. Regular counselling and alternative therapy sessions are held to help the families cope with the stress and trauma they undergo during the treatment.
The Centres
Founded and funded by Mr. and Mrs. Kaviratne, the first centre for St. Judes was established on the first storey of Mhaskar Hospital in Parel, Mumbai. This prototype centre had 8 individual family units, each accommodating a child patient and its parents. This prototype has now be replicated across the county. In Parel, three centres are located very close to Tata Memorial Hospital, where most children receive their medical treatment. A campus at Cotton Green has also been established in partnership with Mumbai Port Trust (MPT) and Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), accommodating 165 families close to Tata Memorial Hospital. Four more centres have been established in Kharghar, on the campus of Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC); the R&D section of the Tata Memorial Hospital, with a special centre only for patients recuperating from Bone Marrow Transplants.
The total number of family units across India is 475, set up in 38 centres.
Donations to St. Judes are eligible for tax exemption under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Founders
Nihal Kaviratne is currently the Director of DBS Group & Bank, StarHub, SATS, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, GSK Pharma India, and Chairman of TVS Indonesia and Akzo Nobel India Limited. To add to this, he is a member of the Governing Board of Bombay Mothers & Children Welfare Society. A founding member of the Board of Governors of President University in Indonesia and one of "25 leaders at the forefront of change" chosen by Business Week in 2002 for the Stars of Asia Awards, he has been associated with Unilever for forty years. Nihal has vast experience in the fields of CSR and good corporate governance. Nihal was cited in the Queen's 2004 New Year Honours List in the United Kingdom. He was appointed a CBE for services to UK business interests. He was Chairman of Unilever Indonesia, until he moved to playing a more regional role in the Unilever Asia Business Group based in Singapore as Senior Vice President - Development & Environmental Affairs. He later assumed the position of Chairman Asia for Unilever's Home and Oral Care sector.
Shyama Kaviratne has been associated from childhood to the fields of social work and charity. Having completed her studies in management, her 20-year experience of working with a nationalized bank provides her with the ability to deal with a vast section of society and in relation to project finance.
International Support
SJICC UK is a registered charity in the UK (No. 1120539) with the objective to relieve sickness, preserve and protect good health and relieve poverty, relating but not limited to children under the age of 15 suffering from a chronic disease in India.
SJICC USA aims to provide a tax effective way for residents and taxpayers of the US to make donations that enable the organization to fund grant applications submitted by charities in India that meet its objects.
Awards and honours
St. Judes is a Give India Tier 1 Organisation and has been rated at VO 1B by CRISIL.
St. Judes has received GuideStar India Platinum certification for legal & financial compliances and sharing these transparently in the public domain. Also Platinum Winner 2018 by the GuideStar India NGO Transparency Awards The organisation is also accredited by Credibility Alliance under Desirable Norms.
St. Judes has entered into a Partnership with UTI Mutual Fund, which has introduced a facility called "CanServe" for investments under UTI Balanced Fund, UTI Spread Fund and UTI Mastershare Unit Scheme. "CanServe" will enable investors to contribute their dividend payouts if they are under dividend payout option or specified amounts as desired, if they are under the growth option, towards St. Judes as donation for needy and under-privileged children who are being treated for cancer and their families, during the period of the child's treatment.[1]
St. Judes has been honoured with the following awards:
• Great Place To Work Certified
• CRISIL Voluntary Organization VO 1A
• GiveIndia Give Assured 5 Stars
• Credibility Alliance Certificate Of Accreditation
• GuideStar India Champion Level - Platinum certification 2019
• Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati Award Of Appreciation
• World CSR Congress 2017: Certificate of Merit
• AmeriCares 5th Spirit of Humanity Award, 2014
• Vocational Service Award for Outstanding Service to Humanity, 2014
• Can India Conclave Certificate for Excellence, 2013
• Qimpro Gold Standard Healthcare Award, 2012
• Marico Innovation for India Awards 2012 In The Social Category, 2012
• Finalists in the Special Category of Vodafone Mobile for Good Awards 2014
Notes
https://originals.storiesasia.org/-cancer-in-the-time-of-covid-19/index.html
http://epaper.telegraphindia.com/details/166753-516914.html
https://www.indiaspend.com/why-4-of-5-indian-children-do-not-survive-cancer/
http://epaper.telegraphindia.com/details/166753-51550934.html
The Asian age: http://onlineepaper.asianage.com/articledetailpage.aspx?id=3165011
http://www.csrtimes.com/community-articles/st-jude-india-childcare-centres-bringing-sunshine-to-wilting-flowers/400
http://www.spiceroutemag.com/offering_holistic_care.html
ToI City Lights 23 March:
http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Article.aspx?eid=31804&articlexml=CITY-LIGHTS-02032015006027
http://nrinews24x7.com/tata-medical-center-inaugurates-premashraya-residential-facility-for-underprivileged-cancer-patients-and-relatives/
http://www.kolkatafirst.in/?author=1
Times City Kolkata: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/A-place-to-stay-for-cancer-patients/articleshow/47932908.cms
Mumbai Mirror: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/columns/columnists/mudar-patherya/Going-beyond-caring/articleshow/47953686.cms
The Telegraph: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150704/jsp/calcutta/story_29485.jsp#.VZ0wqHr3_Gc
http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-a-ray-of-hope-for-cancer-stricken-kids-2585776
Radio ONE, Feb 2018
https://soundcloud.com/hrishikay/hrishi-k-with-usha-banerji-ceo-st-jude-india-cancer-childcare-centre