Umang Foundation a Mumbai based NGO actively works for the welfare of children in the city and has organized many activities for the welfare of children.
This time on Sunday, February 21, 2010, Umang Foundation organized a Mumbai Darshan Trip for approx 100 children suffering from cancer; these children are from under privileged families who are undergoing treatment at Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel.
With the hospital co-operation Umang successfully pulled off the this task of taking approx 100 cancer patients on a joy ride.
Joy ride was managed with 3 buses waiting outside the hospital premise and each bus got full with laughter of 30- 35 children and 15-20 volunteers. It was nothing less than a picnic for the children.
As per the pre-scheduled plan, all 3 buses moved towards Nehru Science Center, where lunch was served to all the children then science centre to look into. Children saw everything and learnt about basic science in interactive sessions with Team Umang, as Team Umang revised our long forgotten science lessons in school. The marvels of science pulled them as was evident in their eager faces, brightened eyes as was evident in their smiles.
Every member of Team Umang had their own 4-5 children to look after. Outside the Nehru Science Center, all gathered for a memorable photo session which no one could have missed for anything. Life gives one moment just once and this was one such moment, real beautiful smiles and cheese moment of children and Team Umang. After spending around 3 hrs at Nehru Science Centre, the children settled in bus for rest, cool breeze and small refreshment of juice and popcorn which kept their energy levels up, as they were driven to next stop.
The next destination being Taraporevala Aquarium, the children accompanied by volunteers were taken in Aquarium, As they walked seeing the huge mammoth skeleton of shark awed and thrilled both and moved onto different exotic marine lives, taking in the shapes and forms of these different fishes, few of them which really held kids attention was sea horse, sea snake, turtles, neon fish etc.
At the aquarium, they found Mickey Mouse, Scooby Doo and Tweety eagerly waiting to entertain them. The only sound which could be heard for some time was squeals of laughter, excitement and Kodak "Say Cheeeese" moments with the dancing comic characters. The kids, who now were fully charged climbed up buses with these mascots accompanying them, laughing… singing… playing Antakshri…
After having wonderful time at Aquarium, children reached the wonder monument- Gateway of India. Fully secured in the Human-Chain of Team Umang around them… eating refreshments, chocolates and biscuits…as the sun was going down the horizon, cool breeze, dance of mascots and fun, accompanied with them.
Team Umang, who kept secured these children so that nobody gets lost. By this time every child was tired but still raring to go, all headed to Girgaum Chowpaty, they were greeted by cool breeze of sea, the tingling sensation of sand under their feet and a beautiful sunset landscape.
All children and their care takers were settled in a secure Human Chain of Team Umang on sand, eating burgers and seeing the beauty of sea at dusk. Their contended faces was the reward of the Team Umang for that beautiful day.
A befitting end to the day was a drive around Queen’s Necklace, as the lights of Mumbai glimmered and shimmered… shining like fireflies at night.
It was indeed a magical quiet moment for both…as the silent prayers flew from members of Team Umang to give more in life to these kids who had such innocent faces, young age and so much to look forward.
The spirit of these kids, the zest, the enthusiasm, the smiles were contagious as Members of Team Umang found friends in them.
As the tour was coming to an end, another surprise was in store for them, gifts wrapped in shimmering gift wraps added curiosity and another broad grin to their faces as they eagerly thanked...thanks was actually the thing we in Team Umang should have given them for giving us their day, showing us how privileged we are to be healthy and normal.
One could just see the dream in their eyes and no tiredness or fatigue even as the day and tour ended and they were being dropped back to hospital. Some of their hugs will never be forgotten by Members of Team Umang.
Surprisingly, even seeing the hospital there was not even slightest change in expression of contentment. There was no compliant in their eyes for why god gave them this disease.
The take away(s) for Members of Team Umang were many but the one that will remain etched in all our minds is that as we make small-small petty issue complaints in life we should always remember the saying "
I cried for shoes, until I saw somebody without legs".
Mr. Deshmukh, Tour Coordinator from Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel was personally thanking each and every Umang member present in the event. He said “In our society, Cancer patients were always treated as untouchables and majority of the people don’t prefer interacting with them, but Team Umang proved that nothing can hamper love, care and true feelings of a person and any illness can be cured by a pure heart”.
Ashish Goyal, Founder, Umang Foundation said “there’s always more to life and these kind of events give us a moment to thank god that we all are healthy and on the same hand we should not forget to spread happiness, love and affection by all means among others”. He also promised to organize similar events on a regular basis to motivate and encourage the children.
This was Umang Foundation’s 138th activity.
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Team Umang :1. Chetan Karkhanis
2. Roli Sharma
3. Sweta Singh
4. Amrapali Mathwale
5. Himanshu Gupta
6. Gaurav Gujare
7. Pooja Goyal
8. RS Goyal
9. Amit tyagi
10. Dhruvi Doshi
11. Ansuman Mahopatra
12. Fouzan Shaikh
13. Sonu Singh
14. Nikhil Sawant
15. Rahul Gupta
16. Alpa Khatri
17. Sharad Tripathi
18. Garima Goyal
19. Jimmy Sanhgvi
20. Deena Sawlani
21. Gourav Sunaria
22. Raj P
23. Usha Jagtap
24. Roopam Ghosh
25. Hemraj Thakre
26. Anushree Dey
27. Harshada Potnis
28. Pravia Prakash
29. Priya Mudda
30. Jinesh Shah
31. Roopashri Shetty
32. Shraddha Salunkhe
33. Lokesh Sharma
34. Deepa Daske
35. Gulal
36. Anita Gudekar
37. Vaishali Bhatt
38. Komal
39. Khushagra
40. Ashish Goyal
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Photographs of the Day:http://picasaweb.google.co.in/umang.pics/MumbaiDarshanForCancerPatients100Children?feat=directlinkUmang Champion : Pooja Goyal, Amrapali Mathwale, Garima Goyal and Ashish Goyal
Editorial by : Garima Goyal, Anushree Dey and Roli Sharma
Photographs by : Chetan Karkhanis, Pooja Goyal, Amrapali Mathwale, Gaurav Gujare, Kushagra Chitranshi
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