Dogs Can Smell Your Stress - And it Could be a Game Changer For Mental Health

Dogs have an incredible sense of smell, and new research suggests they can use it to tell when humans are stressed. In a small study, four dogs were able to correctly identify the scent of a stressed human with nearly 94% accuracy. While it's not clear exactly how dogs react to the scent of a stressed human, previous research suggests they may be able to provide comfort with a loving cuddle or a gentle paw tap. This latest study provides further evidence of the extraordinary capabilities of 'man's best friend.'

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Family And Volunteers Deliver Over 700 Christmas Meals To Those In Need Across Surrey

A Surrey family has delivered more than 700 Christmas meals to people across the region — all cooked, packed, and sent out with the help of dozens of volunteers and a lot of heart. Matt Gaskin and his family have been running the operation for eight years, driven by a simple goal: to “make a difference” during the holidays for people who are struggling. This year, the effort reached its biggest milestone yet — 700 meals, up from 560 in 2024. “There are so many people out there that are struggling at the moment and it seems to be getting worse,” Gaskin told the BBC. “It’s about giving back.” The food was donated by local businesses in Woking and Guildford, and the numbers are impressive: 40 turkeys, 1,500 pigs in blankets, 4,000 roast potatoes, and 100 kilograms each of Brussels sprouts and carrots. About 30 volunteers helped with the preparation, chopping vegetables and boxing up meals. “There are all sorts of different people from all walks of life, which is great because it’s a real community affair,” Gaskin said. “People sit down and they talk and they chat and they get to know each other and that’s what’s great to see.” His wife, Marta, described the atmosphere in the kitchen as emotional. “When you look at the volunteers peeling veggies today and chatting away and creating friendships — it’s very emotional,” she said. The meals were delivered by 60 drivers to homes across Surrey, as well as Windsor, Maidenhead, and Aldershot. Each meal included Christmas crackers and a handmade card, created by students from St Thomas of Canterbury Primary School in Guildford. Miki, the couple’s son, said the early mornings and long hours are worth it. “I don’t think anyone knows truly how many people this helps and what an impact it has on their life,” he said. “Not everyone has an opportunity to have a good Christmas, so just to make it a little bit brighter makes it all worthwhile.” The family woke up at 2:30am on Tuesday and 3:30am on Christmas Eve to get everything ready. “Being able to see the difference it makes and seeing people smile and come together, it makes it all worthwhile in an instant,” Miki said.

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EU Announces Winter Fishing Ban in Bay of Biscay to Protect Dolphins

Every winter, the Bay of Biscay becomes a danger zone for dolphins — and once again, the European Commission is stepping in. Starting in 2026, EU authorities will reintroduce a temporary winter fishing ban in the Bay, aiming to prevent the accidental deaths of dolphins and other small cetaceans. The closure will run from 22 January to 20 February and apply to all vessels over eight metres in length, which will be required to remain in port during that period. This marks the third consecutive year for the winter ban, a move Brussels says is based on evidence that the measure works. According to data cited by the Commission, dolphin deaths in 2025 were significantly lower than in years prior to the introduction of the seasonal closures. The problem itself is well-documented. Each winter, hundreds of dolphins wash ashore along the Atlantic coast, many with injuries consistent with fishing gear entanglement. Scientists and conservation groups, including the French observatory PELAGIS, have long been calling for stronger protections. Fishing activity and dolphin migration patterns tend to peak at the same time, which increases the risk of accidental capture in nets — known as bycatch. In response, the EU first trialed winter closures in recent years, and the results have been encouraging enough to repeat the policy. Still, the ban is not without consequences. Around 300 vessels will be affected, and Brussels acknowledges the economic hit that local fishers may face. To help offset the impact, affected fishers will be eligible for compensation through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund. Member states may also provide additional national aid during the one-month shutdown. The fishing ban isn’t the only strategy in place. The Commission will continue to require certain vessels to use acoustic deterrent devices — tools that emit sounds to keep cetaceans away from nets — throughout the year. Monitoring will also be stepped up, with more onboard observers and camera systems introduced to track how fishing operations interact with marine wildlife. While the closures are temporary, the EU hopes the approach can offer a longer-term balance between environmental protection and economic livelihood. Reducing fishing activity at the most dangerous time for dolphins, while maintaining support for the communities that rely on fishing, is the line Brussels is trying to walk.

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Pokémon Go Love Story Captivates Global Audience

Sandra and Les Dorgy havA Windsor couple is taking their love story global — one PokéStop at a time. Sandra and Les Dorgy, newlyweds with a shared passion for Pokémon Go, are being featured in an international media campaign celebrating couples who met through the game. After a one-of-a-kind wedding, the pair were spotlighted by Pokémon Go officials, who sent a film crew to Windsor to capture the story of how the mobile AR game brought them together. “It’s kind of hard to keep track of all of the wild adventures that we’ve been on,” Sandra told CTV News Windsor. Their latest adventure took them to Japan for their honeymoon, where they joined the official Pokémon Go Fest media tour. There, their story reached even wider audiences, including a national news broadcast, a wedding magazine, and a local newspaper. “Japan is a whole different level of intensity,” said Les, a Windsor firefighter. “Everyone there is very intense, very passionate about anime. They don’t hold back like they do in North America.” The couple says Pokémon Go was more than a shared hobby — it was the thread that connected their lives. “Our love story, connecting through Pokémon, is a one in a million story, if not rarer,” Les said. Following their honeymoon, the celebrations kept coming. Sandra recently graduated as a nurse practitioner and marked the occasion with a nod to the game, adding Pokémon-themed decorations to her graduation cap. She’s now officially a Pokémon Go ambassador and represented Windsor at the White Sox Pokémon Go night in Chicago. Next up? Los Angeles. The couple is heading to another Pokémon event in February, where they expect the camera crew will pick up their story again, this time documenting their journey through “the City of Lights.” “That’s the best part about this game,” Les said. “You get to have fun, meet new people and travel.”e taken their love story on the road, sharing it with fans of Pokémon Go around the globe. The newlyweds, who married in a unique ceremony that captured the attention of Pokémon Go officials, are now part of a documentary project exploring their shared passion for the augmented reality mobile game. "It’s kind of hard to keep track of all of the wild adventures that we’ve been on," Sandra said. Their journey began in Windsor and continued through Japan during their honeymoon. Les, who works as a firefighter in Windsor, found Japan's enthusiasm for anime particularly striking. "Everyone there is very intense, very passionate about anime," he explained. The couple's romance caught international media interest while they were in Japan for the Pokémon Go Fest. They were interviewed by a wedding magazine and a local newspaper and even appeared on Japan’s national news channel. "Our love story, connecting through Pokémon, is a one in a million story, if not rarer," Les said. Their adventures didn’t stop after returning from Japan. Sandra celebrated another milestone by graduating as a nurse practitioner. To mark the occasion, she added subtle Pokémon touches to her graduation cap. Sandra has also taken on the role of Pokémon Go ambassador and recently represented Windsor at the White Sox Pokémon Go night in Chicago. Looking ahead, Sandra and Les plan to continue their travels to Los Angeles in February for another Pokémon event. They anticipate that another camera crew will capture more moments of their epic narrative there. “That’s the best part about this game," Les noted. "You get to have fun, meet new people and travel.

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Teen Who Spent Her Childhood in Hospital Donates 800 Gifts to Kids Still There

Lydia Brown knows exactly what it feels like to spend Christmas in a hospital bed. Now, she’s doing everything she can to make sure other kids don’t feel so alone. The 16-year-old from Maine has spent most of her life in and out of Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. Living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Dysautonomia, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), and other health issues, Brown became familiar with hospital walls early in life. But for the past four years, she’s turned that experience into something extraordinary: the Lydia Project. Each holiday season, Lydia collects and donates Christmas presents to children on the pediatric floor — the same floor she spent much of her childhood on. This year, she hit a personal milestone, delivering more than 800 gifts to patients. “Every year, I try to make it as big as I can,” Brown told local news station WABI TV. “I donate almost anything you can think of, whether it’s needed, not needed, for fun, not for fun, anything that a family member might need or a patient.” The gifts come from all over her community. Neighbors chip in what they can, and Lydia and her mom fill in the rest to make sure every child wakes up to something special on Christmas Day. The idea came from her own memories. Brown remembers the small moments that brought comfort during her hospital stays — the surprise of a nurse bringing a craft project, the softness of new pajamas, or the joy of taking home a colorful water bottle. “I think about that a lot because, I mean, I still have some of that stuff from when I was like nine,” she said. Brown’s younger brother also spent time in the hospital, so the mission is personal on multiple levels. Though her health prevents her from delivering the gifts in person, Lydia says just knowing she’s helping is enough. “Coming from a person that was in that situation, it makes me happy,” she said. This year’s delivery marked her biggest haul yet — and she’s already looking ahead to what she can do next. For updates on the Lydia Project or to support her efforts, Lydia runs a Facebook page where she shares news and ways to get involved. “I’ve been there,” she said. “And if I can make even one kid feel a little less scared or a little more loved on Christmas, then it’s all worth it.”

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This Firefighter Adopted The Dog He Rescued From Icy Waters

On the coldest day of the winter so far, with temperatures hovering around –31°C, Saskatoon firefighter Nathanael Crohn was called to rescue a dog stranded in the middle of the frozen South Saskatchewan River. What started as a standard emergency call ended with a life-changing decision. “We tried calling out to him, and he was just sitting in the middle of the river, just shivering and scared and not moving from the spot,” Crohn said. Crohn and members of the Saskatoon Fire Department’s water rescue team approached slowly using a rubber inflatable boat, tethered to the shore for safety. The ice was dangerously thin. Onlookers offered up a leash, and Crohn was able to carefully secure the dog and bring him to safety. The dog — a three-year-old pitbull-boxer mix — was taken back to the fire hall to warm up. And almost immediately, Crohn felt something shift. “You can tell he’s a good boy,” he said. “He cuddled up to me right away, and I want a good lap dog. I fell in love with him instantly.” A local shelter was contacted, but no one came forward to claim the dog. When he was put up for adoption, Crohn didn’t hesitate. The connection was already there. He named the dog Stryker, after the rescue boat used to pull him off the ice. ‘He’s made himself right at home’ For Crohn, who had always wanted a dog after growing up with animals, the moment felt meant to be. “He was pretty hesitant to new spaces, but he’s getting more confidence,” he said. “There’s a lot of training that still has to get done, but he’s behaving really well and he’s made himself right at home.” Now, Stryker is thriving — not just at home, but as a bit of a celebrity around Saskatoon. “As soon as I stand up, he goes straight to the door expecting to go for a walk. He’s loving his walks,” Crohn said. He’s also become a regular morale boost at the fire hall. “Everyone loves the dog so far,” said Battalion Chief Dwayne Jobson. “It’s been pretty good.” A bond that grew from the ice Crohn says Stryker’s fame has grown beyond the fire hall. He occasionally picks up shifts as a paramedic, and now hospital staff in Saskatoon recognize him and ask about the dog. The bond is new, but solid. Crohn says he’s focused fully on giving Stryker the life he deserves. “At some point I want to get another dog,” he said, “but right now I’m putting all of my time and energy into Stryker.” From standing alone on thin ice to being the heart of a fire station, Stryker’s story is a reminder of how quickly everything can change — especially when someone’s willing to take a chance.

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Family Honors Late Mother's Wish By Erasing More Than $1 Million In Medical Debt For Thousands

When Casey McIntyre was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer, doctors gave her a 10 to 15 percent chance of surviving beyond five years. She beat the odds for a while, but passed away in November 2023. Before she died, she wrote a message that would outlive her — and change tens of thousands of lives. “To celebrate my life, I’ve arranged to buy up others’ medical debt and then destroy the debt,” she wrote in a farewell letter shared posthumously on social media by her husband, Andrew Rose Gregory. “I am so lucky to have access to the best medical care at [Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center] and am keenly aware that so many in our country don’t have access to good care.” That single sentence sparked a movement. Working with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt (formerly RIP Medical Debt), Andrew set up a fund in her name: The Casey McIntyre Memorial & Debt Jubilee. Their original goal was modest — $20,000. Just two months later, the total hit $1 million. Today, the fund has raised more than $1.1 million and counting. Because Undue purchases debt for pennies on the dollar, the impact has been staggering: $120 million in medical debt erased for over 72,000 people in the New York tri-state area, where Casey, Andrew, and their daughter Grace made their home. A legacy of compassion “Casey and I were extremely lucky,” Andrew said in an interview with Good Good Good. “Our finances were being impacted by her cancer treatment, but not in a big way. She had extraordinarily good health insurance.” But others they met along the way weren’t so fortunate. “We met, through the cancer community at Memorial Sloan Kettering, people who are going into debt for their cancer treatment. People that are being bankrupted by their cancer treatment,” Andrew said. “You meet people who are deciding not to undergo cancer treatment because they know the cancer treatment would only give them so much time, and then that debt is going to be passed to their kids.” He called the fundraiser a kind of tether — something that continues to connect him to Casey in the aftermath of profound loss. “There’s a big fear that other people, and even you, are going to forget the person you love. And you are. You’re always forgetting the person you love, little parts about them, big parts about them. But in some way, this reassures me that Casey is remembered in a bigger way.” For Andrew, the joy of the campaign’s success doesn’t replace his grief, but it does offer a parallel path. “It's not like the deep, deep lake of grief I have about Casey's passing has gotten any shallower because of it. But it's like, at least I have this nice little field of flowers next to that lake.” ‘Patients, not profit’ Casey’s conviction was clear — she believed the U.S. healthcare system, and the debt it creates, is unjust. “Casey deeply believed that medical debt and the healthcare system that creates it are immoral, unnecessary blights on American society,” Andrew said in a statement for Undue. “May we live to see an America in which people are treated as patients rather than profit, an America in which healthcare debt no longer exists.” Their daughter Grace was just over a year old when Casey passed. She won’t have memories of her mom in the usual way — not bedtime stories or holiday traditions — but she’ll grow up with a story that defines her mother in a different light: as someone who faced death and chose generosity. “It’ll be a way that she can remember [Casey],” Andrew said. “Not personally, but remember what Casey meant to other people.” It’s a story that ends — and begins — with love. At Casey’s memorial, friends and family gathered as Stevie Wonder’s Come Back As a Flower played in the background. “I wished that I could come back as a flower,” Wonder sings. “To spread the sweetness of love.” That sweetness — now in the form of cancelled debt, unexpected relief, and remembered kindness — continues to bloom.

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Why a Restored Pipe Organ is Drawing Holiday Carolers To Nora, South Dakota

In the quiet town of Alcester, South Dakota, population 800, a former general store turned music hall is drawing visitors from across the country — not for shopping, but for carols. At the heart of it all is Mike Pedersen, a house painter by trade and a lifelong organist. For 35 years, he’s been using his rare backyard pipe organ to bring people together in song, laughter, and a shared sense of holiday joy. “It touches more hearts than I ever dreamed,” Pedersen said. Each year, he invites the public into Nora’s General Store — a historic building that closed its doors in 1962 and has since been transformed into a carol-filled gathering spot. It’s located just outside of town at 30707 475th Street. Inside, the space comes alive with music, community, and warmth. Pedersen’s story started when he was 14 and first sat down at the keys of a pipe organ. Over time, it became more than a hobby — it became a calling. “I realized that God had given me a blessing,” he said. “There isn’t anybody that’s got one of these in their backyard, and I thought, how am I going to share it?” That question led to an answer that has now spanned decades. Every holiday season, people of all ages come to sing, listen, and pick their favorite songs from a stack of 89 Christmas carols. Some join the choir. Others just close their eyes and take it in. “It’s exhilarating,” Pedersen said. “Blesses my soul, and I’m humbled that God will see fit to allow me to host such an event. My desire is that people get a blessing from being here. Like I said, they go home blessed and refreshed.” Nora’s General Store may no longer sell goods, but what it offers each December is something harder to find — a moment of peace, a sense of community, and the kind of joy that sticks with you long after the music stops.

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A Small Canadian Town is Aiming To Become The Next Hallmark Movie Destination

In Sylvan Lake, Alberta, romance doesn’t need a script — it just happens. The town of 15,000, about 160 kilometres southwest of Edmonton, has all the makings of a Hallmark classic: snowy streets, community charm, and stories of love that seem pulled from a movie. Now, Mayor Megan Hanson wants to take it one step further and make it official — by inviting Hallmark to film one of its beloved holiday movies there. "It's just a place where those kinds of romantic things happen," Hanson said. And she’s not alone in thinking so. Resident Sean McIntyre agrees: “Sylvan Lake is the authentic version of so many Hallmark storylines. This is the place where people from the city come.” From skating under twinkle lights on the frozen lake to small-town events like the Gulls’ baseball games and a pumpkin trail stretching for blocks, Sylvan Lake already looks and feels like a movie set. Now, town officials are hoping Hallmark agrees. A dream born in a bakery The idea was sparked by former town councillor Teresa Rilling, a self-professed Hallmark devotee whose ultimate dream is to appear in a film — as the local bakery lady. “I would meet with film groups to see what needed to be done to bring it to Sylvan Lake,” she said. “I’ve been passionate about it for a long time.” Rilling's research found that Sylvan Lake checked several important boxes for production crews: scenic diversity, four-season filming potential, and — just as crucial — a community that already lives the Hallmark lifestyle. After many chats with Rilling, Hanson decided it was time to act. “What would it hurt to write a letter?” she said. “I write letters in support of things all the time. What is one more? And this one, I think, is really neat.” Real love stories, not just on screen The town is full of unscripted love stories that could easily make the jump to TV. Mayor Hanson’s own proposal came at the top of the local lighthouse, where her now-husband had written “Will you marry me?” on the frozen lake below. “He somehow got the keys to the lighthouse from the mayor of the day,” she said. “We also had our wedding photos taken right by the same lighthouse.” McIntyre proposed to his high school sweetheart on the beach during a New Year’s Eve fireworks show. “It was magical,” he said. Barista Mycah Feijen says it’s not just the setting that’s charming — it’s the people. “They’ll actually start a conversation with you,” she said. “They’re all interested in who you are.” That sense of community is what helped resident Elisha Hojnocki meet her husband. “We met on the beach, basically. And then 20 years ago, we got married right here on the beach.” Communications officer Jared Waldo met his partner at the town’s hockey camp, and proposed to her on centre ice. “When you're here, you just feel connected to the people and places,” he said. “It’s not something that you can really explain or describe, but it is something you can definitely feel. It’s magic.” Preparing for a close-up While the town waits for a reply from Hallmark, they’re quietly doing the behind-the-scenes work to be ready when — not if — the call comes. “We are doing the background work, and it's not as flashy as writing a letter and sharing it on social media and sending it to Hallmark headquarters,” Hanson said. The town’s culture department is working to make sure film-friendly policies are in place. Hanson sees it not just as a fun idea, but a meaningful one — with potential economic benefits for local businesses, tourism, and long-term visibility. It wouldn’t be Sylvan Lake’s first on-screen appearance. A 1990s romantic film, Sylvan Lake Summer, was shot there, and the town has a budding theatre scene. “When they do call,” Hanson said, “we’ll be ready. But I hope it’s soon.”

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Over a Million Lights are Transforming Golden Gate Park Into a Dazzling Holiday Wonderland

Golden Gate Park has a new nighttime glow — and it’s lighting up faces just as much as the trees. A mile-long illuminated trail has taken over San Francisco’s Botanical Garden this holiday season, featuring more than a million twinkling lights, synchronized music, and fantastical art installations. Called Lightscape, the immersive display has drawn more than 100,000 visitors since it opened, delighting families, couples, and wide-eyed kids along the way. “There are towering peonies, fields of lights, water lilies, giant dragonflies,” said Sarah Marsh of Gardens of Golden Gate Park, which operates the Botanical Garden. “One of my favorites is a Canary Island strawberry tree that’s been transformed into a glowing neon tree.” This is the first year Lightscape has come to San Francisco. The nighttime holiday trail is already popular in other sister gardens in Chicago, Brooklyn, and London. It’s a collaboration between UK-based Sony Music and production company Culture Creative, with each show designed specifically for the host garden. Sellout crowds have packed the Golden Gate Park trail since it opened, with some guests returning during the day to see the real-life plants they admired under the lights. “What we hope to do is inspire curiosity,” Marsh said. “Some of my favorite comments have been from kids — just hearing how it makes them feel, and the happiness and joy. And to be honest, it’s the expressions on their faces as they see the lights and experience the trail itself.” The San Francisco Lightscape runs until January 4.

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A Women’s Sports Group in India Is Changing Lives — One Sweaty Sunday at a Time

At a sports ground in Bandra, Mumbai, the thud of footballs and the sound of laughter ring out across the Wings Sports Centre. It’s a Sunday morning, and for dozens of women, this is where friendships are forged, sweat is celebrated, and judgement is left at the gate. Among the players is 49-year-old Dawn Almeida, a former Dubai resident who moved to Mumbai in 2020 and found herself isolated and lonely during the pandemic. Then she discovered Sisters in Sweat — a women-only sports community — and everything changed. “I had an inhibition joining a new group, [even] though it's all women,” Almeida says. “I'm not young, so I was [wondering] if there was going to be all these teenagers and youngsters, and if I really wanted to go. But right from the first day, I felt like I fit in.” That first session ended with breakfast. It became a ritual — and so did the friendships that followed. Now, Almeida’s social life revolves around her SiS sessions. She plays football multiple times a week, has coached beginner sessions, and credits the group with giving her more than just exercise. “It’s freedom without judgement,” she says. “Everyone just cheers you on.” What began as one casual game exploded into a nationwide movement Sisters in Sweat didn’t start as a business or a fitness brand. It started with a simple question. In 2017, Bengaluru-based fitness trainer Swetha Subbiah had a friend named Shonali who wanted to learn to play football. Subbiah called up Tanvie Hans — a former professional footballer who had played in the UK — and asked if she could lead a session. “I expected maybe three or four of my friends to show up,” Subbiah recalls. “But 17 showed up that morning on Sunday.” The session was a hit. They added warm-up drills, technical coaching, and a friendly match. Then breakfast. A WhatsApp group followed. And soon, it became their Sunday ritual. By the end of 2019, women they’d never met were showing up. Word had spread. “That’s when I realised this had become something bigger than anything we’d imagined,” Subbiah says. An amateur league offered to sponsor a tournament. Subbiah and Hans quit their jobs and went all in. They needed a name. The inspiration came, fittingly, from a WhatsApp chat. “One day someone said: ‘My brother asked if I was going to the sweaty sisters session.’ Another replied, ‘Tell him we're Sisters in Sweat!’ It just came out of nowhere. But it stuck.” Now in four cities, and aiming higher Today, Sisters in Sweat has nearly 15,000 members across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi. The group offers sessions in football, basketball, badminton, cricket, pickleball, yoga, dance, and even touch rugby. Every session is pay-per-play, ranging from 200 to 600 rupees — affordable for urban women, but still out of reach for many in rural or underprivileged areas. That’s something Subbiah and Hans are now working to change. “We’ve seen the impact that this community has had on women in urban India,” says Subbiah. “Now we want to bring this to underprivileged communities where the impact could be so much bigger.” They also hope to reach girls earlier, knowing that participation in sport often correlates with long-term leadership and success. “Ninety-four percent of women in C-suite roles played sport at some point,” Subbiah says, citing a study by Ernst & Young. “Can we bring that to girls earlier, set them up for success? That’s the dream.” Where sport becomes sisterhood The SiS community has become a lifeline for women from all backgrounds. Some are athletes looking to stay sharp. Others are total beginners, there to move, laugh, and find community. One woman joined after losing her husband, trying to stay connected to his love for football and find comfort in a group of peers. Another, who’d never played football growing up in rural India, fell in love with the sport at her very first session. And then there’s the story of Shonali’s son — the child who unknowingly launched SiS. Years later, watching Hans play a match, he asked his mom, “Mama, do boys play football as well?” Men are cheering from the sidelines — and helping from home While SiS is women-only, men have been allies from the start. Subbiah points out that for many women to make it to a session, they need support at home — especially those with young children. That support inspired a spinoff group, Sisters and Misters, where men and women play together in selected sports. SiS also includes male coaches across many sessions, helping to balance technical training with fun. In 2023, the community even caught international attention. Manchester City, the Premier League football club, collaborated with SiS to highlight its work as part of its Same Goals campaign — the first time the club had partnered with an Indian sporting group. 'We're not going to play in the World Cup tomorrow — but we’re playing’ For Almeida, the transformation is personal. She’s found a home in the SiS community — and a platform to help others find theirs. “On Saturdays, it’s people already in love with football, trying to get better,” she says. “I tell them that we’re not going to play in the World Cup tomorrow, but we’re running, learning, pushing ourselves. On Sundays, it’s girls who are just exercising or curious. Our job is to make them fall in love with the game.” It’s not just about movement. It’s about friendship, self-worth, and rediscovering joy. “I’ve always been overweight, but I’ve always been active,” Almeida says. “I’m not a gym person or a runner. I like movement. What I love about SiS is that I can choose. Football one day, pickleball another, yoga or dance the next.” “It’s perfect.”

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