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Submitted by PatientsEngage on 15 February 2016

Cuddles Foundation is one of the few NGOs in India that provides holistic nutritional support to impoverished children so that they can survive the trauma of cancer. In an interview founder-member Purnota Dutta Bahl stresses the need to fight malnutrition to save lives. 

How important is nutrition in the fight against childhood cancer?

  • 50,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year in India. Only 22% of these even make it to the hospital for treatment.
  • 4 out of 10 children being treated lose the fight because of malnutrition.
  • Malnourished children are 5 times more likely to die from cancer, due to chemotherapy intolerance causing a refusal or abandonment of treatment

How common is malnutrition in childhood cancer in India? 

Almost 70% of children afflicted with cancer are malnourished at diagnosis.

How does India compare with other developed countries as far as mortality rates among children with cancer are concerned?

Only 2 out of 10 children survive, compared to worldwide survival rates of 8 out of 10.

We need a different attitude towards cancer - a story about childhood cancer

Could you tell us about your NGO Cuddles Foundation? How did it start?

Cuddles’ journey began with my visit to Tata Hospital in Mumbai in 2012, to meet the children whose cancer treatment I was sponsoring then. My husband and I used to pledge a part of our salaries to this. During that visit I realized that families that go to large cities like Mumbai and Delhi to seek treatment undergo a sea of challenges. Including loss of livelihoods, problem of accommodation, having no funds/ access to nutritious meals apart from high costs of treatment and the emotional turmoil that come as a part and parcel of cancer.

Healthy and nutritious meals and supplements are a luxury to these children and what started as a small drive among my friends and family three years ago has grown into a well established NGO that provides holistic nutrition support to underprivileged children fighting cancer in India.

What has been your achievement so far?

Today, Cuddles Foundation supports more than 3000 children every month in 10 hospitals in India, including leading institutions like Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, AIIMS Delhi, Kidwai Memorial Hospital, Bangalore.

Today, Cuddles Foundation is a significant Nutrition Provider (through its network of donors/fund raising programs) for its Partner Hospitals. Cuddles has also been represented at International Platforms such as the International workshop on Nutrition under the aegis of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP), attended by top oncologists, experts in the field on Nutrition for Pediatric oncology.

Cuddles Foundation received the - "Best New NGO Award" in 2013-14, for its significant social impact, at the prestigious CanIndia Conclave.

We have been able to garner support from prestigious organizations like UnLtd India (a charitable organization for social entrepreneurs). Cuddles Foundation is a level 2 investee with UnLtd.

How many children are supported by Cuddles currently? 

Today, Cuddles Foundation supports more than 3000 children every month.

What is the profile of children who come to Cuddles?

  • 90% come from a low socio economic background
  • 45% come from BPL (below poverty line) parents
  • 60% come from villages and small towns to metros. Their parents are without any means of income so they either live on footpaths or sarais.
  • Most of the days the parents go without all 3 meals and sometimes even the kids.

How do you plan out the diet chart for children at Cuddles? Is it different for different cancers?

Our nutritionists assess the inpatient and outpatient paediatric oncology patients using the ABCD technique (anthropometric assessment, biochemical parameters, clinical evaluation, dietary recall) and identify the grade of malnourishment (severe, moderate, etc). Based on the assessment, the counselling and planning of diet is done.  Regular follow-up and monitoring is done for every patient.

The diet planning is different for every patient depending on the type of cancer, the grade of malnourishment, the phase of treatment, presence of infection, treatment complications.

How long can children stay at Cuddles?

Cuddles Foundation supports the Food and Nutritional needs of the children during their treatment period at our partner hospitals, which is typically between 12 – 18 months. 

Does Cuddles provide accommodation for parents as well?

No. Cuddles Foundation supports the Food and Nutritional needs of the children during their treatment period at our partner hospitals

Also read about the stigma faced in "Don't shun them" 

 

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