Beautifying the World of Kids

CanKids..Kidscan and Le Passage Travel Foundation (Shaping Lives)

Mostly people travel for leisure, and majorly the travel agencies concentrate their focus on visit to fun and frolic at India’s varied tourist destinations. There are however some exceptions who encourage their traveller to mix fun and travel with social responsibility.

Shaping Lives is that exclusive Foundation. As the only travel foundation in India, it partners with CanKids…Kidscan. Our NGO’s vision is not just to administer quality cancer care to children from below poverty line backgrounds, but to give them child friendly and vibrant centres and shelters during their treatment. This friendly Foundation encourages volunteers from across the world, especially the United Kingdom, to volunteer time and talent in painting and beautifying our centres.

The giving nature of Col Anil Alagh, the Foundation Head, shows in his unique commitment and personal example to...

CanKids..Kidscan and Le Passage Travel Foundation (Shaping Lives)

Mostly people travel for leisure, and majorly the travel agencies concentrate their focus on visit to fun and frolic at India’s varied tourist destinations. There are however some exceptions who encourage their traveller to mix fun and travel with social responsibility.

Shaping Lives is that exclusive Foundation. As the only travel foundation in India, it partners with CanKids…Kidscan. Our NGO’s vision is not just to administer quality cancer care to children from below poverty line backgrounds, but to give them child friendly and vibrant centres and shelters during their treatment. This friendly Foundation encourages volunteers from across the world, especially the United Kingdom, to volunteer time and talent in painting and beautifying our centres.

The giving nature of Col Anil Alagh, the Foundation Head, shows in his unique commitment and personal example to inspire others to work in similar ways. Every year he brings one or more travel groups to our Palliative Care Centre and Home Away Home Care of CanKids. These groups provide services in whatever way possible. This year one group beautified our Delhi Centre‘s terrace and seating area, while another created a colourful animal and aqua-life fresco in Trivandrum Centre’s front garden and entry, 2500kms away.

According to Kapil Chawla, cancer survivor, working at CanKids, “we prepare a list of all the works that we have to do, and we share it with Col. Alagh. He closely coordinates, delegates work, and ensures flawless execution of our desires by his volunteer groups, to make our centres ‘happy’ and patient friendly.”

The group that comes belongs to quite affluent families, but that does not come in the way they serve and make our children happy. The manner in which they work makes us feel that they really want to bring a change in the lives of children and their family without any expectations from us. Some people who have left a mark in our hearts through their work are Mary, Amanda, Thomasina, Cathy, Joey, Peter, Lynn. There are of course many more. They helped us beautify the palliative centre and Home Away Home in New Delhi.

Mary, a grandmotherly summer volunteer from UK, was excited and said that although it is very hot and humid, she is pleased to be a part of this initiative and was happy to help paint and decorate the special building.

As Col. Alagh once led a battalion in the army, now he leads the UK tourist group and guides and delegates them their work at CanKids. People often around CanKids used to get surprised seeing foreigners doing painting work, and one neighbour even asked us that are we now getting foreigners to paint our building.

Shaping Lives has been associated with CanKids…Kidscan for a long time. Routine non-volunteers are also brought in by Shaping Lives to promote advocacy and encourage support to our mission. The eyes go moist with fondness for them even today. No work is impossible. No weather is a deterrent. When the Shaping Lives boss and his volunteers get-together we feel the magic that comes when the hearts are pure and the intent is purer giving.