Volunteer Spotlight: Neetu Masih’s Full Circle Story of Compassion

By Lyra Brown, VP Communications, Cards for Care Edmonton

Volunteer Neetu Masih says art and creativity have always been meaningful ways for her to encourage and uplift others through Cards for Care.

For Cards for Care volunteer Neetu Masih, handmade cards are far more than paper and ink — they are reminders that people are seen, valued, and never alone.

“I have always loved art, and I truly see it as a form of ministry,” Neetu said. “Cards for Care felt like the perfect way to combine creativity with compassion, using something simple like a handmade card to bring hope and comfort to someone who needs it.”

Her connection to the organization is deeply personal.

When Neetu’s younger sister suffered a traumatic brain injury following a serious car accident in 2003, her family spent months moving between the intensive care unit at the University of Alberta Hospital, the Stollery Children’s Hospital, and later the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.

During one of the most difficult periods of her life, strangers began sending handmade cards.

“Those small acts of kindness meant so much to us,” she said. “They brought comfort, encouragement, and a sense that we were not alone.”

Years later, volunteering with Cards for Care has become what Neetu describes as a “full circle” moment — an opportunity to now offer others the same comfort and encouragement her family once received.

“I understand firsthand how meaningful something as simple as a card can be,” she said.

“It’s shaped the way I approach this work — with intention, compassion, and a deep desire to pass on that same hope to others.”

When Neetu sits down to create a card, her goal is simple: to help someone feel remembered.

“I want the person receiving it to feel seen — that they matter, that their life has value, and that they are not alone,” she said. “More than anything, I pray they feel cared for and supported, even during a difficult season.”

One of Neetu’s favourite creations is a handmade card featuring a bear holding balloons, inspired by the Precious Moments-style artwork her family received while her sister was in intensive care.

“It was such a simple but powerful act of kindness,” she said. “I still have that drawing to this day.”

For Neetu, the card represents more than a piece of artwork. It symbolizes warmth, comfort, and the quiet reassurance that even small gestures can carry enormous meaning during painful moments.

The same philosophy shapes the way she approaches volunteering with Cards for Care today.

“You don’t have to be a professional artist,” she said. “What matters most is the heart behind it. Even the simplest card can make a big difference.”

Through volunteers like Neetu, Cards for Care continues to demonstrate how creativity and compassion can leave lasting impacts within hospitals, care facilities, and communities across Alberta.

“Cards for Care is where creativity becomes compassion,” Neetu said. “Something as simple as a card can become a powerful spark of hope during someone’s darkest and most vulnerable moment, reminding them that they are seen, valued, and deeply loved.”