Standing Ovation for Pediatric Cancer Patients

Last month, Lahore’s Alhamra Arts Council hosted a very special show. Roshni featured a cast of child performers, all of whom were patients or survivors of cancer.

Hailing from diverse backgrounds, our little stars spent an entire month preparing and rehearsing for the play. On the big day, with back end support from Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (SKMCH) staff and volunteers, all of them put on an outstanding performance. At the finale, the audience of 500 nearly brought down the house.

Roshni (meaning ‘Light’) wasn’t just an outlet for creativity. It was a social activity that enabled thirty child cancer patients to regain their confidence and self esteem. The stigma associated with cancer in Pakistan is so great that many patients at SKMCH aren’t comfortable about disclosing their identity. Furthermore, most of our child patients are forced to drop out of school while undergoing active treatment. Understandably, this takes a huge toll on their morale, and many of them suffer a significant loss of confidence.

At Imran Khan Cancer Appeal (IKCA) and SKMCH, we know that hope and high morale are vital for recovery. To that end, we provide play therapy sessions and hospital schooling programmes for our paediatric patients. We also jump at any opportunity to celebrate a birthday or organises a special event. With the support we receive from donors, sponsors and volunteers, we’ve been keeping the morale high. With your continued help, we can keep the hope alive.

Putting on a play of this size, and on a formal stage no less, was a first for us at SKMCH. Luckily, we had the sponsorship of the Mobilink Foundation. They helped make the vision of our child patients a reality, and were present on the night with encouragement and support. Proceeds from all ticket sales for Roshni have gone towards providing free cancer care for poor patients at SKMCH.