Change Starts with U!: Art Therapy Program at Philippine General Hospital
8:13:00 AM
I learned about U! Happy Events
through Facebook. I joined a Facebook group about volunteering works here in
the Philippines. Members of the group post opportunities to volunteer and help
in different programs. One of the members posted about the U! Happy Events. It
was a non-government organization providing sustainable support and teaching
values to marginalized children in the Philippines. I became interested with
this organization because kids were very close to my heart. I love playing with
them and teaching them. I also like reading stories to children.
I sponsored two kids for the U!
Happy Events’ Art Therapy Program at the Philippine General Hospital. The
sponsorship fee for students was only 150 pesos. Included in this fee were U!
Happy Events’ ID, baller and food for you and the kid. And you also get the
opportunity to help and touch lives of pediatric patients in PGH.
I skipped one lecture class for
the art therapy program. It was in conflict with our lecture in epidemiology of
cardiovascular diseases. But I went back to the class right after the program.
The program started a bit late, around 10:30AM, because we still waited for the
kids. I guess we had a total of 15 kids with their parents who joined the
program. All of them were post-surgery patients.
We were divided into groups. I
was with Kuya Panya, also a volunteer and we were assigned to help four
patients for the art therapy program. These were the patients in our group. I
helped them make their own owls. One of the patients in our group had a surgery
for her cleft lip. She was schedule soon for another surgery to correct her
cleft palate.
Another patient had a surgery to remove a tissue mass on her
nose. Another patient had surgery on his head. The other patient named Naul had
paralysis on his right arm and left legs. According to Naul’s mother, the cause
of the paralysis was still unknown to the doctors.
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We were taught how to make an
owl. Since it’s Halloween season, the art teacher Ate Blanca decided to teach us how to
make owls from colored papers. Owls are nocturnal meaning they are active
during the night. I was so excited because I love birds. I super love birds. I
was so happy after creating our owls. They were all beautiful. We were all very
happy during and after the program. At least, with that simple act of doing an
art, we were able to give smile and joy to the patients in PGH.
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This was the beautiful paper owl that we created. |
I was encouraged by the event. I
was inspired by the passion of the volunteers who helped in the event. I was
inspired by the dedication of the people from U! Happy Events to help people. They
do not get profit from the events that they organized. But they continue helping
people. And I know that it was because of the fulfillment that they get
whenever the kids thank them. After the art therapy program in PGH, the kids
hugged me and the parents thanked me for helping them. I felt so loved and
blessed because I was able to bless other people. I praise God for this opportunity to show His love to the pedia patients in PGH.
Before the program ended, U!
Happy Events distributed Filipino children’s book from Adarna House. The kids
were all so happy after receiving the books. Reading books is also another way of helping the patients recover from their surgery. It's a proven fact that reading can help reduce stress since it's very relaxing. The kids also received coloring
books and materials from one of the volunteer, Ate Summer, who just celebrated her birthday.
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Patients who participated in the Art Therapy Program received Children's Books! |
After the program, I promised myself
that I will support U! Happy Events in the future. As long as I have time, I
will help them bring hope and joy to the kids. You can volunteer too! I promise
you, you will not regret anything if you volunteer. You can visit their website
(uhappyevents.com) for more information.
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Kids with their paper owls. |
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