By Cisco Interns,
Publication Date: 2026-05-12 12:00:00
This post was authored by Priyanshi R., a technical intern on the IIoT Team.
I didn’t expect something as simple as rolling cotton to stay with me the way it did.
When I signed up for the World Cancer Day volunteering session with Cisco’s Cancer Support Network Inclusive Community (what we call ERGs) and Karunashraya, a local hospice trust, I thought it would be a good break from work, an opportunity to do something meaningful, and a chance to come back feeling a little lighter. But somewhere in the middle of it, that expectation shifted. What began as a simple volunteer activity transformed into something much deeper — a quiet, but lasting shift in perspective.
We were sitting together, working on cotton balls, gauze pads, and small medical kits. The process was simple: roll, adjust, place it aside, and begin again. At first, it felt almost mechanical, like any repetitive task you’re just trying to get right. But then, in a small, unremarkable moment, I paused and…
