The CHF family got together for the annual Thanksgiving meet 2023 on the 7th of January, it was a tremendous evening. We had an incredible time as we heard about the beautiful and impactful life of dear Catherine. Mr Selvinson gave us a walkthrough of her life. Catherine was a brilliant young girl. She was a gifted singer and guitarist. She excelled in academics. Even when she was diagnosed with cancer, she never gave up hope and never went into depression. She had unwavering faith. Everyone was left teary-eyed when Mr. Selvinson told us about the excruciating pain she went through during her chemo cycles. Cathy was a shining gem whose short yet impactful life has been sown as a seed to bring forth much fruit.
"CHF is our way of grieving, when we serve other cancer patients we grieve the loss of our precious daughter" ~ Mr. Selvinson, Mrs. Graciana spoke about the list of programs conducted in 2022. The staff at the Center spoke from their heart as they shared with us the inspiring stories of people's lives that have been changed because of CHF. They seemed shy at first but could articulate so well. They shared about the academic excellence of students who joined the Center, as well as the improvement in their behavior. The Center focuses on the holistic development of children. The staff also shared about the differently-abled people and how their lives have been impacted because of the aid rendered by CHF.
Mrs. Graciana passionately shared with us the stories of cancer patients in and outside Mumbai. CHF has stood as a pillar of support to many cancer patients not only with accommodation and financial aid but also by speaking to them and listening to them. She also gave us an insight into the future visions and missions and plans for the expansion of the organization. The current and projected budget was also discussed and the need and requirements was put on the table.The Chief Guest for the evening Dr. P. Issac Livingstone shared a few words of wisdom and we honored his family with a shawl and momentos from CHF. Mrs. Livingstone talked about the courage it takes to start a Foundation after losing a child. She spoke about the grief and the pain the parents must have gone through. It was an emotional ordeal for all of us.
Towards the end, we gifted all our guests with a calendar, as a token of gratitude. The evening ended with a simple yet delicious dinner.
It is a great start to the new year. Thank you everyone for standing with us, with your prayers and support this new year also we hope to be a blessing and bring comfort to the suffering.