Children staying at St. Jude India ChildCare Centres (St. Judes) who are undergoing cancer treatment in Mumbai and Chennai hospitals, have been recently introduced with a chess program that aims to enhance their memory, concentration and confidence.
For the underprivileged parents from across India who bring their children to cities like Mumbai for cancer treatment, St. Judes, a non-profit, provides them free accommodation for as long as their treatment period continues in the hospitals.
On February 11, 2025, a Mumbai-based sports coaching organisation, ChessMates Academy, introduced a chess coaching session for the St. Judes Cotton Green Campus children and parents. Later, on February 18, the program was extended to the Kharghar centre. On February 16, the program was also introduced in Royapettah, Chennai centre.
Melwin Mascarenhas, coach and co-founder of ChessMates Academy, Mumbai said, “Chess helps the children stay focused, think ahead, and build confidence—all while having fun.”
The chess coaching initiative was taken by St. Jude’s Third Circle team that was formed in 2019 to provide emotional support to families residing at its centres through various educational and interactive initiatives.
On the first day of the session, the children and their caregivers were explained about chess, its benefits in improving focus, problem-solving, and strategic thinking. The children were introduced to ‘ChessPa’, a fun grandfather-like chess character for engagement. After the introduction, chessboards along with a demo chessboard, and a ChessPa book were provided to the children to enrol them in the program.
Anil Nair, Chief Executive Officer of St. Judes said that the Chess Coaching Program is an opportunity for the children to engage their minds and build resilience. “Encouraging children to take up chess not only offers a fun and intellectually stimulating activity but also helps them build confidence and sportsmanship. Children were provided with chessboards from the academy as a gift. At present we have started the program only in Mumbai and Chennai, we will roll out in other cities soon.”
At present, 32 children of which 16 are between the age group of 5 and 8 and 16 are 9 and above are part of the program at Cotton Green Campus. The Kharghar centre has 23 children between the age group of 5 and 15 and in Chennai, there are eight children between the age group of 8 and 15.
The chess classes are scheduled twice a week for children. However, the children practice and play on a regular basis.
Even though St. Judes offers a variety of indoor games such as carrom, ludo, and bingo for parents and children, Mr. Nair said that the introduction of chess has a crucial role in the healing process. “We introduced chess to help prevent potential cognitive decline and promote emotional resilience during their cancer treatment. Chess has been shown to have proven benefits in enhancing memory, concentration, problem-solving skills, and boosting resilience and confidence in children.”
There are 46 St. Judes centres in 11 cities in India where 586 families are staying at present. The centres are in Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chennai, Vellore, Guwahati, New Delhi, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam and Muzaffarpur.
In Mumbai, there are four centres located in Parel, Navi Mumbai, Cotton Green East, and Bhayandar that support 225 families. The centre works alongside Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai; All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi; Tata Medical Centre in Kolkata, and various other cancer hospitals in other cities.
Chess coaching aims to help children undergoing cancer treatment prevent their potential cognitive decline.
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12-year-old Jit Chakraborty from Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal stays at the Cotton Green Campus with his parents who are daily wage labourers. On August 9, 2024, he was diagnosed with Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumours that primarily affect the central nervous system and surrounding tissues. Ever since he started learning chess, he has developed a strong passion for chess since he joined his chess class. “Before attending the class, I found chess quite challenging, but now, it feels much easier and more enjoyable. I tell my other friends also about chess and how interesting and fun it is. I will teach others when I go back to my hometown.”
It has been six-months of residency at the Kharghar centre for the 13-year-old Priyam Pramanik from South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. He was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in which the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells which crowd out healthy blood cells. His parents are also daily wage labourers. He finds chess, a fun game. I play it daily with my father when he comes back from work and with the new friends I have made here at the centre.”
3 months ago, 16-year-old Laxmanan S. in Chennai, was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia, a rare and serious blood condition that occurs when your bone marrow doesn’t produce enough new blood cells. He stays with his father, a daily wage labourer. “I always used to watch people playing chess on social media, but I never knew how it is played. Learning the game, its different tricks excite me as I am now one of those who play and understand the game. I will also teach other children,” he said.
Published – April 08, 2025 07:17 am IST
