Umeed Parr exists at its core to provide help and hope to childhood cancer patients and their families. After working with them since July 2024, we have found that the area with the greatest need is accommodation. Majority of the families suffering are from out of Karachi. They are from interior Sindh, Baluchistan, KPK and Punjab. They are sleeping on hospital benches or in dirty encampments around the hospital. This breeds more and more infections nullifying the purpose of chemotherapy. More children are being lost due to infections rather than this dreaded disease. Many families abandon treatment halfway through the process, not because of the cost of treatment but because the cost of living in a strange city and the constant travel costs to and from their home becomes too much for them to bear.
We at Umeed Parr aim to set up a hostel, where we can provide free lodging, food, basic medical care, counselling and education for children undergoing treatment. We are searching for premises close to the hospitals and we would provide transport as well. Close proximity to the hospitals is key for such a hostel.
Ideally we hope to find a place within 15 minutes driving time to either AKUH or NICH. These are two of the hospitals that we are collaborating with that require a place for their patients to stay.
Children receive gifts at key stages of their treatment journey to boost morale and motivation.
Weβve set up a cheerful play area for children waiting in the radiation wing at AKUH.
Cookies, cupcakes, and milk are distributed monthly at two hospitals to bring small joys during long treatment days.
Regular counseling sessions are organized, especially for mothers, to help them cope with their stresses and give them advice on how to handle the treatment of their child.
Creative and healing sessions are conducted regularly across all three hospitals.
Weβve helped design and decorate a new pediatric oncology ward to make it more welcoming and child-friendly.
In collaboration with a leading school and hospital, we are developing an education program to ensure children donβt fall behind during treatment.
Currently, we are working on holistic care through our projects. We intend to work on nutrition and treatment abandonment by setting up our Home away from Home. Here we would offer a place to stay, nutritious food, counselling, various types of play therapies, transport, and education. Our next big project would be satellite clinics set up in various villages of Pakistan in order to help with late detection.
Umeed Parr invited two celebrities, Salam Saeed and Momal Sheikh, to join us at AKUH and celebrate Pakistan's Independence Day, with the paediatric oncology patients and their families. We also requested Faizan Hamza from Move and Speak to come sing and dance with the children.
Umeed Parr's theme for this month was Superheroes, since in our eyes every child battling cancer is a superhero. We invited popular celebrity Bilal Ashraf to come with us to the paediatric oncology ward. He gave out capes and masks to all the children and helped us with our art therapy for the day.
Umeed Parr had a party at AKUH and invited beloved celebrity Mahira Khan to help us spread some joy. She danced and sang with the children, and spent time speaking to the parents as well.
AKUH had a party for Childhood Cancer Day, distributing certificates for treatment completion. Umeed Parr organised a drum circle for this event, which the children thoroughly enjoyed.
Mrs. Seemi Tapal very generously hosted a lunch at her residence for Umeed Parr's first fundraiser. We spoke to a lot of lovely women and spread a great deal of awareness regarding our cause.
"They have stopped crying"
"There is a remarkable difference in the childrenβs attitude where the first thing they ask for is the toy token"
"The children come into the clinic patiently waiting for the process and give cheeky smiles knowing that at the end I will walk them to the gift box"
"The snacks are a saviour for the long clinics"
"This little boy was very sad when he came for his radiation, but the play area helped him calm down"
- Dr. Bilal Masher Qureshi, Radiation Oncologist
https://kgs.edu.pk/kgs-news/umeed-parr/
https://jang.com.pk/en/20712-bilal-ashraf-spends-rewarding-moments-with-cancer-patients-news
https://minutemirror.com.pk/actress-mahira-khan-uplifts-young-cancer-patients-at-umeed-parr-316347/
https://mmnews.tv/mahira-khan-brings-joy-and-hope-to-children-battling-cancer/
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