Survivors’ServiceLearning
Project inHue!
Eight CCF youth survivors packed their bags and headed for Hue,
Vietnam between 21 and 24 June 2016 tomake a difference in the
lives of youngVietnamese cancer patients. The team’s onlymission
was tobringcheer andsmiles to theoncologypatients in thehospital.
Uponarriving inDaNang, the youthswastedno time inpreparing for
their visit to thehospital thenext day. Thiswas followedbyabonding
session where the participants got to know a littlemore about each
other. Although the night ended young, everyonewas too excited to
fall asleep!
Early next day, the youths set out on a three-hour journey fromDa
Nang to Hue. Service learning began with the youths sharing about
their cancer journeywith the caregiversof outpatientsat HueCentral
Hospital. As powerful living testimonies themselves, their stories
provided much hope and strength for the parents. Hand-packed
goodie bags were presented to the young patients to encourage
them in their battle with cancer. At the inpatient oncology ward, the
CCFyouthsbondedwith thepatientsbydoingdifferent craft activities
and playing gameswith themand their parents.
Day threewasa fulldayofcommunityserviceatHueCentralHospital.
The survivors livened the inpatient wards with the handicrafts they
had prepared earlier. The cranes formed a large heart-shapedmural
on the wall to remind the young children to embrace hope and
strength in their cancer journey. The youths also brought donated
storybooks, including some from their personal collection, to expand
the hospital’s inpatient library. The youths conducted other activities
such as tote bag painting, balloon sculpting, colouring and pick-up-
sticks for the inpatients. Therewas somuch laughter in the hospital
as the children indulged in the activities!
Before returning toDaNang, the youths got to immerse in the sights
and sounds of Hue’s nightlife via a trishaw tour and visited a local
night market. Back in Da Nang, they visited the Hoi An Ancient
HeritageTown and enjoyed a hands-on lanternmakingworkshop by
Lifestart Foundation.
It was a truly fruitful trip for our youth survivors who enjoyed the
opportunity to bring joy and smiles to the patients at HueHospital.
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