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Thursday, October 1, 2015

Gratitude and friendships


#Saree41
#Gratitude
#Chaiforcancer
#Graduationforacause

This Saree is a tribute to "friendship" .Well this story has so many sub stories in it. But today its all about "friendship" So be ready for a long read please.
Last Saturday I hosted a "chai ka Adda for cancer'. I met Viji on Saree Pact and loved her work. Her initiative "Chai for Cancer" saves many lives and won over many hearts. 
As you all know "Autism" is my cause but this friendship made me look beyond my life and be a part of something else. Friendship widened my world and I decided to host another adda at my home. 
My son decided to make it his graduation party and donate his gifts to Max Foundation. Motherly pride has no limit as I write this.
I called and posted on Facebook and my friends rushed in to support me and Ajey.
Finally the day came. Viji wore a blue to honor my cause "Autism" and I wore the color of "Max Foundation". We never talked about or decided but were amazed and happy to see each other in our colors. My friends Sent from my iPhone
Whoever was not I knew they so wanted to be here but couldn't. They called, texted and donated. A fellow Pact-er Lakshmi drove from New Jersey to be part of it.

I couldn't be prouder and happier. It was not just the money it was the gesture behind the whole thing. . I am still in awe of the whole thing. How fortunate we are to have such wonderful and generous people around us. 
My friends - please know you define me in various ways, You make life what is it today for Pandeys. I feel very lucky to have you in my life. Your friendship is a treasure. The adda was very successful in every term and please know I am just proud and blessed and thankful. 
Now its your time to see all the pictures and read Ajey's thought why he felt he should be part of it.

Ajey: -
Thank you all for coming to this Chai for Cancer adda, a project by the Max Foundation to help people in India battling chronic myeloid leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Thank you to Viji Venkatesh for spearheading this wonderful effort, and thank you to my mother, Jaya Pandey, for hosting this adda. We should do this more often. I do drink a lot of chai.
You may have heard that is a replacement for my graduation party--I think I should explain myself. When I heard about Chai for Cancer, I was thinking about planning my own graduation party. But then I realized: I don’t need graduation gifts. I have a comfortable life, I have a wonderful family, and I’m going to college. What more do I need? What more do I want? 

Meanwhile, there are so many people struggling with cancer, fighting to keep their strength between rounds of chemotherapy, hoping the next treatment works better than the last one, questioning whether they’ll see their next birthday. They need help from their community more than I ever did and possibly more than I ever will. I’m not doing anything noble--I’m just telling the truth.

Among my peers, the noble thing to do is to “go cure cancer.” The height of honor is enshrined in glass laboratories, in cell research, DNA analysis, and drug manufacturing. That’s critical. But it’s not everything. Because cancer doesn’t simply exist in petri dishes--it affects people. We must also honor the doctors, caregivers, and community leaders who help those people, who give strength to patients and support for their loved ones. 
Let’s drink to these wonderful people and all they do for cancer patients.
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Pictures below
https://www.facebook.com/jayapande/media_set?set=a.10155781140700481.627150480&type=3