About Us
Who Are We?
Sindur Patel
Hi! My name is Sindur Patel, and I am a rising junior at Vanderbilt University. I am studying neuroscience on the pre-med track. In addition to being the co-founder and co-president of Canta Canta, I hold several other roles on campus as well. I am a Transfer Student Leader, guiding incoming transfer students through their transition to Vanderbilt, leveraging my own transfer experience to provide support and advice to others. I am also the Research Chair of the Vanderbilt Pediatric Association, where I write weekly newsletters about current research in the field of pediatrics, as well as connecting undergraduates to pediatric research opportunities on campus. Finally, I serve as a Teaching Assistant for BSCI 1510 (Introduction to Biology), where I teach course content every Friday and hold weekly office hours to support students both through the course and in their undergraduate careers.
Outside of my undergraduate studies, I am an active member of Edgehill Methodist Church, the first church in Nashville to be fully integrated. I tutor children from underserved backgrounds who are struggling in school on a weekly basis at the church, aiming to raise their reading and math skills to their appropriate grade level before the school year begins. I am also pursuing the establishment of a children’s ministry at the church, encouraging the same students to attend church on Sundays, and allowing their parents to work on weekends. Finally, I volunteer at a local hospital in Nashville, specifically in the NICU and their Nobody Dies Alone (NODA) program.
Carolina DePaula
My name is Carolina DePaula, and I am a junior at Vanderbilt University majoring in Neuroscience on the pre-med track. In addition to being the co-founder of Canta Canta, I am a Clinical Research Assistant at the Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer’s Center, where I study how cardiovascular function and social disadvantage interact to worsen cognitive decline in aging populations. I also serve as Director of Recruitment for Anchorthon, Vanderbilt’s largest student-led fundraiser for Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital, where I lead campus outreach efforts to support pediatric patients and families.
Outside of the lab, I volunteer with Alive Hospice as a Death Doula, where I provide emotional support to patients undergoing active death, and serve as a grief counselor for children facing the loss of a parent or loved one. I also intern with the National Alzheimer’s Buddies as part of their Impact team, working to improve volunteer training and expand culturally inclusive approaches to dementia care. Finally, I contribute to advocacy and outreach initiatives at Matthew25, a Nashville-based nonprofit that provides transitional housing and support services for men facing homelessness, with a focus on serving veterans.
Our Story
Canta Canta began as a simple idea: What if art could be a bridge between college students and pediatric patients? What if a hand-drawn coloring page or a handwritten note could offer a child something medicine alone could not, a sense of joy and connection? Founded in 2025 by Sindur Patel and Carolina DePaula, the project emerged from deeply personal motivations. Carolina, the daughter of Brazilian immigrants, witnessed how cultural and economic barriers shaped access to care. Sindur, a family member and friend to multiple individuals who fought hard but lost their battles against cancer, witnessed how art offered moments of peace, expression, and comfort when words or medicine fell short.
What started as an idea to make handmade books for local clinics in Nashville quickly grew. Encouraged by the response of mentors and driven by the energy of Vanderbilt student volunteers, Canta Canta formally became a nonprofit in 2025. The name, meaning “Sing SIng” in both Portuguese and Spanish, reflects the organization’s commitment to cross-cultural healing.
Now a growing student-led nonprofit, Canta Canta continues to evolve. But at its core, the mission remains the same: to bring comfort through creativity and to build a more human connection between those in care and those who care.