Giving Families Strength to Stay the Course: Mondelez India Supports St. Jude’s Cancer Care Mission

 

·         Part of St. Jude’s largest facility- a 12-storey, 234-unit complex that will house 700+ families annually and 34,000 families over the next 20 years

·         St Jude Centers provide not just shelter, but also nutrition, counselling, education and transportation to help children complete treatment and improve survival outcomes

 

Mumbai, September 14, 2025: Mondelez India, in partnership with St. Jude India ChildCare Centres, has inaugurated two dedicated residential units at the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Navi Mumbai, part of Tata Memorial Centre. Together, these units will provide free accommodation and holistic support for 24 families at a time offering not just a safe place to stay, but also access to nutrition, counselling, education and transportation for children undergoing treatment.

Every year, thousands of families from across India travel to Mumbai in search of life-saving cancer care for their children. For those from underprivileged backgrounds, the lack of safe and affordable housing often becomes a critical barrier. With treatment cycles lasting months, many families are forced to abandon care midway, even though most childhood cancers are highly curable with timely and complete treatment. In addition, the absence of hygienic living conditions exposes young patients to serious infections, threatening survival.

Ophira Bhatia, VP, CGA India and AMEA CGA Lead, Mondelez India said, “At Mondelez India, we believe no child’s recovery should be interrupted because their family cannot afford a safe place to stay. These centres are more than buildings, they are a lifeline for families who have already travelled far and sacrificed much. By partnering with St. Jude India Childcare Center, we are able to offer shelter, nutrition and emotional support that help children fight not only the disease, but also the uncertainty that comes with it.”

The two units supported by Mondelez India form part of St. Jude’s largest facility to date - a 12-storey, 234-unit complex at ACTREC. Once fully operational, the centre will support more than 700 families every year and is expected to provide a safe haven for 34,000 families over the next 20 years. Each unit supported by Mondelez India can house 12 families simultaneously, enabling over 60 families annually to stay close to care, continue treatment and significantly improve survival outcomes.

St. Jude’s CEO, Anil Nair, said, “For families from underprivileged backgrounds who must travel to big cities for their child’s cancer treatment, St. Judes is a sanctuary that offers more than comfort, support and care - it provides them with hope. Our centres provide a nurturing environment where young patients can recover with dignity. With the support of Mondelez India, this new facility will extend that lifeline to hundreds more children and families each year.”

The inauguration was attended by Samir Jain, President, Mondelez India; Ophira Bhatia, VP, CGA India and AMEA CGA Lead; Nitin Saini, VP- Marketing, Mondelez India; Manisha Parthasarathy, Chairperson, St. Judes; and Anil Nair, CEO, St. Judes, along with the members of the St. Jude’s team.