Delhi, July 12 2025
Deepika Kashyap-An Intern’s perspective
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Chai?
A loving conversation with family? A relaxing, slow morning on your balcony?
That’s what Chai meant to me too, until I started interning with Friends of Max and Chai for Cancer, and then it started meaning much more than the warm drink that cures morning blues and sore throats.
On my very first Adda, a few years ago I met the ‘Cup of Hope’, at first glance an unassuming Cup of Chai, that brings hope, dignity and joy to the lives of patients living with cancer.
The ‘Cup of Hope’ is special, because it spends its day advocating at Addas (informal gatherings), on social media, and our website to spread awareness about CML and GIST, two rare cancers, and raise funds for patients to help them comply with their live-saving treatments.
On the 12th of July 2025, led by the Cup, our dedicated team led a very successful awareness and fund-raising drive at The Max Hospital in Saket.
The ‘Cup of Hope’ is the bestie everyone needs, that stands tall by your side, no matter how challenging it seems, every problem becomes a little more bearable surrounded by the people you love.
As Rakesh Sharma Ji, a survivor and long-term supporter told me, with this disease, you must talk, as help comes from unexpected ways and nothing is impossible if you have the will to fight and win for yourself and your loved ones. There is nothing “good” about cancer, he said, but perhaps by staying in the presence of so many kind and wonderful souls connecting with the cause, cancer becomes “good” enough and leaves you alone.
Throughout the day I saw patients dealing with their problems, curious observers, doctors and nurses of the hospital stop by for a cup of Chai, laugh, share their stories, and donate generously. That’s the power of Chai, I suppose, bringing people comfort even when things get difficult.
If you want to be as cool, well hot, as the ‘Cup of Hope’. Please donate here; and help us make our vision that “No cancer patient should live a diminished and compromised life.”