Srinagar: Flowers of hope bloomed in the Tulip Garden of Srinagar. Some children suffering from cancer have just returned with rich food.The children were brought to the garden on the banks of Dal Lake from the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) on Monday as part of the hospital’s immunotherapy efforts – strengthening the immune system with hope, optimism and positivity. The number of children was about a dozen. The eldest was 18 years old and the youngest was only four years old.The change was rapid. When the SKIMS bus carrying the children left the hospital, the atmosphere inside was calm. Many people wore masks. His attendants remained sitting silently. By the time they reached the garden, the atmosphere inside the bus had changed. The children’s faces lit up at the sight of the tulips, and many seemed to feel more relaxed as the tour progressed.In photos released later, the group were smiling together, capturing a rare moment of relaxation away from grim hospital wards. “The human body’s intrinsic immunity not only fights bacterial and viral infections, but can also fight cancer cells and kill them. Exposing these children was part of the immunotherapy treatment. We are trying to boost the immunity of these children, which can help make our treatment more effective,” said M. Ashraf Ghani, director of SKIMS. times of India.Feedback from the doctors who accompanied the children showed that their mood had improved significantly compared to when they were in the hospital. Gainey said, “The kids were very happy. It gave both kids and their families reassurance that this is not something they can’t fight.”This was the first such SKIMS initiative and the hospital had been preparing for almost a month. “We planned to go out as per the children’s chemotherapy schedule so that no dose is missed. Doctors accompanied him the entire time and all precautions were taken,” Ghani said, adding that food was also arranged for the children and attendants during the visit.The hospital plans to formally assess the impact of the initiative through questionnaire-based feedback from children and their attendants. “The findings will help determine whether similar programs could be conducted in the future as part of a holistic approach to pediatric cancer care,” Gainey said.