Mumbai, Sep 10: To mark International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Mumbai’s two iconic heritage landmarks Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai headquarters at CST will be illuminated in golden colour on September 9 and 10, 2026.
The initiative has been undertaken by Access Life Assistance Foundation, a non-profit organisation that provides comprehensive support and a safe, hygienic home to families of children undergoing cancer treatment. Through the illumination of these historic landmarks, Access Life aims to create greater public awareness about childhood cancer and reinforce the important message that childhood cancer is curable.
September is observed globally as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to acknowledge children battling cancer, remember those who have lost their lives to the disease, and extend support to their families. While 70–90% of childhood cancers are considered curable, the survival rate in India remains significantly lower, at around 40–45%, primarily due to lack of awareness, late diagnosis and inadequate support systems.
Access Life Assistance Foundation has been working to bridge this gap by providing holistic support to children battling cancer and their families. The organisation believes that awareness, timely treatment and a strong support system can play a crucial role in improving outcomes for children.
The golden colour is internationally associated with childhood cancer awareness. By illuminating two of Mumbai’s most recognisable heritage structures in gold, Access Life hopes to bring the issue into the public consciousness and encourage citizens to understand the disease, support affected families and spread the message of hope.
Mr. Girish Nair, Founder, Access Life Assistance Foundation, said,
“People are still largely unaware that the golden colour represents childhood cancer and, more importantly, that childhood cancer is curable. By lighting up two historic landmarks that are so close to the hearts of Mumbaikars, we want to create awareness and encourage people to learn more about childhood cancer. We have received an encouraging response to this initiative every year, which has helped us to open three (3) centres across India, and we hope that this year too, more people will join us in spreading the message that childhood cancer can be cured.”
Access Life Assistance Foundation has been organising awareness initiatives during September for several years. In the past, the organisation has undertaken campaigns such as ‘Dishoom to Cancer’, a social media awareness initiative, as well as a bike rally, to generate public support for children battling cancer and their families.
Access Life Assistance Foundation is a 12-year-old registered Indian NGO working to support children battling cancer and their families. The organisation provides an interim hygienic home, nutritious meals, transportation, education, counselling and other holistic support services to families whose children are undergoing cancer treatment at Tata Memorial Hospital and other public hospitals in Mumbai.
Access Life currently has a presence across 10 cities Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Manipal, Coimbatore, Madurai, Bengaluru, Silchar and Noida and is preparing to launch its 11th centre in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
At its centres, families travelling from different parts of the country for their child’s cancer treatment are provided accommodation and support. At any given point, approximately 228 families, comprising around 684 individuals, including children and their parents, can be accommodated. Importantly, all services provided by Access Life are completely free of charge, enabling families to focus on their child’s treatment without the additional burden of accommodation, food and transportation costs.