There are days that leave you forever changed. For the little warriors at Tanisa Foundation, September 4th was one of those days. We weren’t just screening a movie. We were inviting these incredible kids who are courageously battling cancer every day to see a reflection of their own strength, determination, and heart on the screen.
The movie was Srikanth, a tale of persistence. Srikanth is a story of a visually impaired person who paves his way from rural India to becoming the first visually impaired student at MIT and establishing Bollant Industries. He fights for the visually impaired while facing entrepreneurial challenges at the cost of personal sacrifices. He meets Devika, a teacher who stands by him and supports him through difficult times. In a world where the odds are stacked against him, Srikanth defies norms. He chases his dreams while also safeguarding a shared future for others like him. This is the tale of an entrepreneur's triumph and sacrifice, both of which he welcomes with open arms and a smile. As the kids watched on, it wasn’t Srikanth’s journey they saw - it was their own.
During the interval, between munching on snacks and playfully tussling over the last piece of popcorn, their thoughts came tumbling out. “You should never lose hope,” one child said, eyes bright with the kind of wisdom you don’t expect from someone so young. Another chimed in, saying, “One should always keep on trying.” They were kids, yes. But on this day, they were teachers too, reminding us that courage isn’t about having no fear, it’s about pressing on despite it.
In the moments that followed, these children, who have seen more hospital rooms than playgrounds, showed us all what it means to believe in tomorrow. Srikanth, wasn’t just a story for them. It was a mirror. A child, barely eight, smiled through tears and whispered bravely, “If you have enough willpower, you can succeed in anything.” That moment broke hearts wide open, not out of sorrow but out of sheer admiration for the power that filled the room.
And it wasn’t only the kids who felt it. Stem, an organisation that partnered with Tanisa Foundation for the event, sent 32 volunteers. Their role wasn’t just to help and observe, it was to witness the strength these children embody every single day. “Watching these kids enjoy life, even while facing such a serious disease, impacted my own self,” one volunteer shared, visibly moved. “They gave me a sense of hope and strength.”
The volunteers played games with the kids and chatted with them. For a few hours, the room was filled with the purest kind of joy. Some of the shyest kids, kids who rarely spoke up, found a friend in the volunteers. Shy smiles turned into laughter, and soon they were racing around, carefree and light as if cancer didn’t exist. For a few hours, they were not kids. They were more than their illness, more than their struggle. They were heroes in their own right.
By the end of the day, something had shifted. The kids had connected not only with the movie but with each other, their caregivers, and the volunteers. They had become a family, tied together by more than any shared circumstances. They were united in hope, in love, in the knowledge that, like Srikanth, they too could rise above whatever life throws their way.
Parents, often the silent warriors in this battle, also found themselves touched by the experience. They saw in their children a strength that ran deeper than cancer, and in each other, they found community. A mother shared, “This day gave me strength. Watching my child smile after everything… it was a gift.”
It wasn’t the kind of day that ended when the credits rolled. The children left with more than memories—they left with hope in their hearts, a hope that Tanisa Foundation strives to nurture. These kids reminded us all that, 'real-life Srikanths don’t wear armour. Some wear hospital gowns and fight battles with a smile on their face, with tiny hands held tightly by their parents, and with hearts full of willpower that can move mountains.'
In the end, we didn’t just screen a movie, we celebrated bravery. We celebrated life. Tanisa Foundation, with the incredible support of Stem’s volunteers, witnessed firsthand the power of hope. Together, we saw that, yes, the journey is hard. But with enough willpower, anything is possible.
We walked away that day inspired by the laughter, tears, and indomitable spirit of these little warriors. And if you ever wonder what a real-life Srikanth looks like, remember this: "They’re the ones who keep smiling, keep fighting, and never ever lose hope."
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