See what you all Santas did

Just like in 2012, Mumbai Secret Santa, under the able leadership of Piyu (@TheFishTale) held their 2nd Charity Donation Drive for the pediatric wing of Tata Memorial Hospital.

Tata Memorial Hospital is one of India's leading hospital in cancer research. Last year they had 25 kids admitted, and this year they have 50. Tata Memorial Hospital does accept donation by cash and you can also volunteer to help them. More information here. The MumbaiSecretSanta team is one of the few groups allowed to donate physical items to the ward as they have a strict policy against items that might increase infection in the children.

We kickstarted the donation drive by sharing a poster on Twitter.

The 2013 Collection Drive poster

This year the collection centres were all across Mumbai. Thank you to all these place.
a) SOBO Fashion Store at Hughes Road
b) Hobby Ideas at Kemps Corner
c) Roti Kapda Aur Makaan at Lower Parel
d) Gostana Cafe at Khar
e) Hobby Ideas at Malad.
 Hobby Ideas especially, who told us how people were buying art & craft material from the store just to drop it straight into our donation box. To whoever you all are, thank you.

So Piyu, single-handedly, drove around Mumbai, collected all the gift boxes on 20th & 21st December morning, and brought them all to Tata Memorial Centre.

This is how much you all donated!

 

*This* was the only way to take it to the pediatric wing

Tata Memorial Centre has a brand new childcare centre  and all the gifts were kept there. The entire pediatric wing (around 50 patients and relatives) were asked to come to the room, so we can interact with them better.

Piyu ensured the festive spirit was alive by ensuring everyone was either a Santa or a reindeer.

We go to know them!

Prettiest of the lot

We made them smile!

Some were reindeers!

Some wanted to be both

Chocolates were distributed

They got permission to remove their masks

And smile 

Santa's Reindeers

Gifts were unpacked

Beautiful chaos!

He got his car

She used this look

It worked

All that was left behind

Back to their beds

The Painter

Thank you for making this possible

I hope you manage to see your donatation somewhere in that pile, and then in the hands of one of the children. You should know you made a difference today. Thank you for giving us something to give. As much as we love seeing Happy Santas and Happy Santees, this is more special to us.


This is an open invitation for anyone participating in our game, you can also come along with us when go for our distribution if you wish. Santees will change every year, this will always feel more special. 

A special thanks to the staff of Tata Memorial Hospital, Prerna, Arpana, Sneha, Shagun, Deepika & Priyanka and to each and everyone who made this possible.  And of course, primarily to Piyu, without who this could not be possible.


-Head Santa
Email | Twitter