Child Life Volunteer
When I grow up, I want to be a little kid.
(。・ω・。)ノ♡ ٩(●˙▿˙●)۶
(。・ω・。)ノ♡ ٩(●˙▿˙●)۶
As a Child Life Volunteer, my job is to organize and set-up the playroom for patients and their families to come in and relax. Child Life Volunteers are also assigned to a patient's room where we offer the family members a break and play with the patient in the mean time. As a Child Life Volunteer, I learned how to interact with a range of patients, whether s/he is a five-months old baby girl or a 15-year old boy. Through these experiences, I've mastered how to put a baby to sleep, entertain rowdy teenagers, and act foolish around the hospital.
I had the opportunity to...
lend an ear to parents to share their struggles, pain, and fears.
held a baby boy and fell asleep with him while listening to lullabies.
pushed cars and made "choo choo" / "beep beep" noises at the nurses and staff.
ran around the hospital, yelling out random names of characters from Finding Nemo.
danced foolishly in the patient's rooms when all the hospital staffs were watching outside.
After volunteering for over five years, I have seen patients with life-threatening illnesses, complicated cancers, and chronic cardiac illnesses. I have seen distressed parents, crying siblings, and lonely patients. These patients may be young, but they have experienced the most complicated issues and has taught me more than what a textbook could teach me about life. Despite all their difficulties, the patients continue to smile when I walk into their rooms. Even though I only spend two hours per week in the patient’s room, it makes me happy to be able to bring some light into their difficult journey. Medicine is not about treating the illness, but the heart of the patients and their family as well. Sometimes patients just want to be treated as a kid and in those two hours. I could be the silly friend they could sing, dance, and run around the hospital with.
Volunteering at Seattle Children's is like a break from all the school work and stresses in my life. Playing with these kids not only puts a smile on their faces, but it puts an even bigger smile on mine. It's the only time I get to relax and become a kid again. When I miss a week of going, I get all antsy because I don't get to see these kids for a whole week!
I had the opportunity to...
lend an ear to parents to share their struggles, pain, and fears.
held a baby boy and fell asleep with him while listening to lullabies.
pushed cars and made "choo choo" / "beep beep" noises at the nurses and staff.
ran around the hospital, yelling out random names of characters from Finding Nemo.
danced foolishly in the patient's rooms when all the hospital staffs were watching outside.
After volunteering for over five years, I have seen patients with life-threatening illnesses, complicated cancers, and chronic cardiac illnesses. I have seen distressed parents, crying siblings, and lonely patients. These patients may be young, but they have experienced the most complicated issues and has taught me more than what a textbook could teach me about life. Despite all their difficulties, the patients continue to smile when I walk into their rooms. Even though I only spend two hours per week in the patient’s room, it makes me happy to be able to bring some light into their difficult journey. Medicine is not about treating the illness, but the heart of the patients and their family as well. Sometimes patients just want to be treated as a kid and in those two hours. I could be the silly friend they could sing, dance, and run around the hospital with.
Volunteering at Seattle Children's is like a break from all the school work and stresses in my life. Playing with these kids not only puts a smile on their faces, but it puts an even bigger smile on mine. It's the only time I get to relax and become a kid again. When I miss a week of going, I get all antsy because I don't get to see these kids for a whole week!