XSPB>PARENT ACTIVITIES

Wanted: KYTHE Volunteers

Angel Falqui, parent

Posted Monday, 27-Nov-2006 12:42 PM

     As early as 8 o’clock in the morning on October 19, some eager Xavier parents assembled at the Desautels Boardroom 1&2 to register and sign up as volunteers for Kythe. For five years now, quite a good number of parent volunteers have been going to the National Children’s Hospital to share in the Kythe experience.

     What is Kythe? Cynthia Manzanares, a psychologist-volunteer for four years, gave the orientation and said that Kythe is a Scottish word which means healing thru simple sharing and togetherness. Kythe was set up by two friends - Icai Castro and Girlie Gracia. Its vision is to strengthen hope in and its mission is to provide psychosocial support to pediatric patients and their families. It was established to increase awareness of the child life program through education and research. She further discussed the children’s responses to hospitalization and how a child life program can help pediatric patients in coping with the stress and anxiety associated with hospital experience and promote their normal growth and development in the health care setting.

     The volunteers bring books, food, and toys and participate in activities with the children assigned to them. Activities include reading stories, playing, talking with the parents or simply spending quiet time with them.

     Roland Legarda, the XSPA Outreach Coordinator, discussed with us schedules and assignments. Schedules will be disseminated to participants every Tuesday and Xavier Kythe visits are scheduled every Thursday throughout the school- year.

How would you like to share your time with the children who are “on borrowed time”?  We hope you will participate at least once this schoolyear and be blessed by the unique experience of touching lives through simple sharing and togetherness.

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