Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram   

A rare gesture of love

By Our Staff Reporter

Photo: S. Gopakumar

A food festival organised by the students of the Christ Nagar School in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday to raise funds for three students undergoing treatment for cancer. Photo: S. Gopakumar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Nov. 29. The thin veneer of gaiety and excitement did not hide the poignancy of the occasion. On Saturday, as 1,100 children, their teachers and parents, came together for a food festival and Kids' Day on the sprawling grounds of the Christ Nagar School at Thiruvallam, they had a silent prayer on their lips.

The event was more than a fun-filled get-together; it was a touching expression of love and understanding. The noble gesture was aimed at raising funds for three students of the school who have been hospitalised for treatment of cancer.

Right from early morning, children accompanied by their parents, started trickling in, with big vessels of homemade dishes, dough and chapati makers. The school authorities had set up stalls near the gate and a shamiana was erected in the centre of the ground.

By mid morning, the trickle swelled into a steady flow. Coupons were sold out within an hour. "We were surprised by the response,'' said the Principal, Mathew Thengampally.

While two of the cancer-stricken students have been admitted to the Regional Cancer Centre, the third one is undergoing treatment at the SAT hospital. "All of them are brilliant students coming from a middle class background. Apart from the interruption of studies, the immense financial strain on the families is understandable. We consider it our duty to help them in their hour of need,'' the Principal said.

The school PTA decided to organise the fund raising event without an appeal from the parents. "It has provided us an opportunity to instil educational values and social responsibility in the children,'' Fr. Thengampally said.

Every day, during lunch break, the children pray for the speedy recovery of their ailing comrades. Some of them regularly visit them in hospital. The school has already collected Rs. 35,000, which will be distributed to the three families. A PTA fund collection drive is also on the anvil. Several parents have offered to help the families.

The Additional Commissioner, Customs and Central Excise, Syed Mohammed, inaugurated the festival. Employees from the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology and the airport also turned up for the event. Teachers, students and parents wore a blue ribbon on their sleeves as a mark of solidarity with the ailing children.

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