Chemotherapy is one of the most common cancer treatments, where one or more drugs are used to fight cancer cells in the body. It comes with a plethora of side effects including hair loss and nausea, and for the best results, requires a diet that includes vegetables like broccoli, carrots, bitter gourd, and beetroot.

All of this can be difficult to convince children to eat. But at the St. Jude India Child Care Centres, ragi parathas and oat idlis are favourites, especially when made by the parents whose children are undergoing treatment at their 11 facilities across the country.

Their recently launched cookbook ITALICS Happy Healthy Meals, is a heartwarming project with recipes from parents whose children are receiving care at the centres . The book features 21 recipes that use ingredients not typically loved by children, to make delicious and healthy meals.

“We conduct Masterchef-like contests every month where we give parents a set of ingredients and ask them to come up with a dish based on that. The children enjoy this activity, and parents have a lot of fun too. Finally, everyone gets to taste everything. We picked ones that are easy to make, tasty and healthy enough to be featured in this cookbook,” says Anil Nair, CEO of the centre. He adds that the cookbook is available across all CHANGE centres.

Compiled by chef Irfan Pabaney, the book features recipes like egg rava chilla, vegetable samosas, and oats idli. There is a sweet karela masala made by 19-year-old mother Durgarani Ghosh. The recipe also includes a note on why her three-year-old son Shreyan Ghosh likes the dish. “Shreyan likes all things sweet. Since the bitter gourd in this dish is glazed with jaggery, he doesn’t complain about eating his vegetables,” the note reads.

At the Chennai centre, Parimala G and her husband have been taking care of their son Nithesh for a month now. She is yet to participate in this cooking contest, but is looking forward to it. Hailing from Karur district in Tamil Nadu, she found a home away from home at this centre. “My son, husband and I have been here for a month now. My son loves puli sadham (tamarind rice) with potato, so I make that often. Although I don’t speak the same language as the other mothers here, I have learnt a lot of recipes and my son enjoys trying something new too,” shares.

The centre provides free-of-cost holistic care for children who are undergoing treatment for cancer along with their families. Each family is allotted a room but the kitchen and dining area are common. Individual induction stoves, vessels, bottles, and a pressure cooker are given to each family staying in the facility. A common selection of produce is purchased and is distributed evenly among all families twice a week.

“Children who are undergoing chemotherapy tend to get agitated. For them, something comforting like their mother’s cooking can bring relief. That’s why their mothers cook meals for them. The ingredients we provide and meal timings are all planned based on what the nutritionists and dietitians recommend” says Prajna Shetty, centre lead at the St Jude centre in Royapettah, Chennai.

The day we visit, lunch was prepared by all the mothers together at the centre Beetroot puris, soya gravy and egg biryani with onion raita was the menu. As one mother kneaded the dough, a team of two flattened the puris, two more worked the stove and others helped in making the gravy and biryani in a similar order. Nithesh returned from the hospital after treatment and was pleasantly surprised. He was hoping it wouldn’t be sambar on the menu, and went on to enjoy the meal with his friends and mother, chatting and laughing.

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