School students are writing notes to cancer patients to keep their spirits up. An initiative of Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC) called “The Warriors’ Smile”, it encourages students to become pen pals and bring positivity into the lives of those undergoing cancer treatment. The initiative has a secondary purpose: By encouraging handwritten letters, the programme hopes to revive the lost art of letter writing in this digital age.
Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School in Mylapore is the first institution to associate with APCC with students of the institution sending 100 letters to APCC, specifically addressed to patients.
The programme also encourages students to visit patients.
Harish Trivedi, chief executive officer, Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, says more than 60% of the patients getting treatment at the centre are from other parts of India.
“Many of them would be on an emotional low while being away from family and friends,” says Harish.
The Warriors Smile encourages students to interact with patients at the centre and follow it up with these hope-inspiring letters.
“Children are big influencers and from what we have noticed, they understand suffering when they see it,” says Harish.
APCC plans to keep The Warriors Smile going by inviting more schools to be part of the programme. “We have already reached out to 18 private and government schools but because of final examinations and summer vacation nothing has firmed up yet,” says Harish.
As an extension of The Warriors Smile, APCC also plans to invite students with any talent to come and entertain those at the centre. Says Harish, “As an experiment we had a student play music and it was so healing.”
Schools that wish to be a part of the initiative can mail apcc@apollohospitals.com
