St. Jude India ChildCare Centres has rolled out a campaign, 'Renu vs the city', highlighting the challenges faced by the families of cancer patients.

Conceptualised by Ogilvy, the campaign comprises a film. The film reveals a truth too often overlooked: the story doesn't end with access to free treatment. For many families, the real struggle begins the moment they are forced to relocate for care. The reality is brought to life through Renu - a young girl undergoing cancer treatment, who, despite her condition, stays with her family on a city pavement. With quiet resilience, she shares tips on how to survive life on the streets, offering a heartbreaking glimpse into a world no child should have to navigate.

Every year, nearly 32,000 children travel to major cities across the country in search of life-saving, free cancer care. But there’s a catch: while the treatment may come without a price tag, the cost of living in the city does not. Many families exhaust their savings within weeks. As the months pass, they’re faced with an impossible choice - return home and abandon treatment, or remain homeless, clinging to the hope that their child might survive.

What we think about it: The film shines a light on a hidden crisis faced by families of children battling cancer, in an eye-opening way. It stops you in your tracks and shows us something we rarely see - the quiet, painful reality behind a child’s fight against cancer. More than just an awareness campaign, the ad delivers an emotional gut punch that lingers long after it ends. It doesn’t rely on dramatic music or overly sentimental storytelling but simply shows the reality. A raw, often invisible truth about thousands of families forced to choose between shelter and survival, the campaign is powerful, unfiltered, and deeply human.