“Umeed Aur Roshni" (Hope and Light), final-year BScN students Afaq Alam, Fatiha Naz, and Hira Bulbul from the Aga Khan University (AKU) collaborated with the Paediatrics and Oncology Unit to redefine care for children with cancer and their families.
Grounded in Kolcaba's Comfort Theory—which emphasizes holistic care by addressing physical, emotional, and environmental well-being instead of simply medical conditions—the students designed a series of activities to inspire joy and resilience.
The project included various approaches including creative expression through colouring and painting, offering an outlet to ease anxiety. A birthday cake celebration created a sense of community and shared joy.
The "Lock the Jar" activity, a symbolic gesture, allowed participants to release stress and take ownership of their emotional state. Music and dance filled the atmosphere with lightness and positivity, while mandala art therapy offered a therapeutic activity to promote calm and mindfulness.
To facilitate emotional sharing, props were provided for children and parents to express themselves freely. Lastly, goody bags were distributed as simple tokens of appreciation.
The most touching aspect was witnessing the transformation of the energies in the room. Children and their parents, with uncontrolled stressors and fears, became fully immersed in the activities and they were able to set aside their worries and experience moments of joy and connection.
This comfort focused intervention is a powerful reminder that healing is as much about the heart as it is about science. By addressing patients from an empathetic standpoint, the students went beyond traditional caregiving to touch lives in ways that medications alone often cannot.
At Aga Khan University, students aren't just trained to excel in their fields—they are empowered to think differently, act boldly, and make meaningful contributions to the world around them. Umeed Aur Roshni is a glowing example of this ethos in action.
