In February, our Cyprus office reached out to One Dream, One Wish after learning about their work supporting children with cancer. Their mission resonated with us—giving kids facing difficult treatments a chance to just be kids. We asked how we could help, and together we planned a day at Masterland—we chose this venue because it offered diverse options for children of different ages and abilities, ensuring everyone could participate.
Creating meaningful experiences for the children
On a sunny Saturday, 85 children arrived at Masterland, many initially quiet but soon filling the space with energy and laughter. We’d arranged for the entire venue to be exclusively theirs for the day.
We booked the entire Masterland venue for private use, provided food for all participants, supplied carnival costumes for the children, and staffed the event with volunteers from our team.
The day included costume selection for each child who wanted to dress up, play areas with slides, jungle gyms, and bouncy castles, hands-on workshops for mask decorating and slime-making, and food and refreshments throughout the event.
The costume corner became an instant hit. Children browsed through superhero capes, princess dresses, and animal costumes, transforming themselves for the day. Deriv team members helped with zippers and ties, watching as small faces brightened with each transformation.
Throughout the day, we noticed many of the children formed spontaneous friendships, sharing materials and ideas with each other. The play structures remained constantly in motion with children exploring every corner.
Planning ahead: Further collaboration and CSR events with One Dream, One Wish
The One Dream, One Wish coordinators expressed how valuable these breaks from hospital routines can be for the families. For a few hours, the focus shifts from treatment schedules and medical concerns to simply having fun. Parents had the chance to relax as the day progressed and took the opportunity to chat with others while their children played nearby.
The event sparked conversations about providing more sustained support. What started as a carnival fun day led to a deeper understanding of how we can better support families facing childhood cancer. We will continue to partner with One Dream, One Wish, and get involved in upcoming initiatives. This has already started with the Deriv organisation starting a fund for One Dream, One Wish, to assist families with medical treatments, equipment, or any other basic financial support.