Ever since my childhood, I have held a great dream in my heart – to make all sick children healthy. I therefore decided to become a pediatrician and have been treating sick children for 13 years. During my medical career I have never stopped admiring how children, despite their illnesses, teach adults to be kind, compassionate and just a real friend. And most importantly - they teach us to love life!
"There’s always hope!” is the name of my initiative. My first experience and successful project aimed to create a room for art therapy in the oncology department of Children's Hospital No. 16 in Kharkiv. A special room was created as the result, where art lessons for kids are now regularly provided by students and volunteers. The children adore these art lessons; they actively participate in the competitions and celebrations which are arranged for them. All these things bring them happiness and positivity, which help them overcome their illness and recover.
My second project, which shares the same title, is dedicated to kids as well: medical and social rehabilitation of disabled children with cerebral palsy. Thanks to this project, a specialized rehabilitation room has been created in Children's Hospital No. 5 in Kharkiv. Therapists, psychologists and ergotherapists provide classes for physical therapy and social adaptation for disabled kids.
The rehabilitation room also contains a children's theater, tactile panels for learning everyday skills, a table for sand animation and therapy with LEDs for the development of fine motor skills.
The only feedback that we have had from the hospital personnel, parents and children is that our projects are very necessary and important! They help disabled children and their parents to live with the disease and adapt to it, providing an opportunity to grow and develop despite their condition.