My Kythe Visit by Frederick Dray
The Philippines will always be my favorite tourist destination. I love it's beautiful and diverse landscapes, laid-back lifestyle and most of all...the friendly people who reside there. Two weeks before I'm scheduled to depart for my latest trip, my doctor finds a lump on my left testicle. He advises me to cancel my trip as it's almost certain I have Testicular cancer.
This is quite a shock and I'm frightened. Yet, I have plane tickets, reservations and friends to visit. I realize the Philippines has many hospitals staffed with highly trained doctors and nurses. I consider continuing with my trip and having my blood work and ultrasound completed at Makati Medical Center.
While researching Philippine cancer facilities on the internet, I discover the non-profit organization, Kythe. They sponsor a child life program that combines education and play activities to help children adjust to the stress of living in a hospital and dealing with cancer. Kythe needs volunteers to assist with this program which includes something as simple as spending a few hours reading to and playing with the kids.
I reflect on the fear and anguish I've experienced and wonder what it's like to be four, seven or ten years old and suddenly experience pain, lose energy and discover mysterious lumps on your body. Then I see pictures of kids flying kites. It's obvious most suffer from various stages of cancer, but are still trying to have fun. I forget my problems as my heart goes out to them. I send an e-mail explaining I'll only be in Makati for a few days, but would like to volunteer.
I receive a response from Kythe Executive Director Girlie Garcia thanking me for caring and inviting me to join them during an afternoon play session. Knowing I can help in this small way makes me feel good. However, as I research and learn about chemotherapy symptoms, I begin to wonder about relating to the kids. Girlie told me that several will receive chemo treatments during the morning and be confined to wheel chairs.
I worry that those kids might be lethargic or moody. How do I entertain everyone? Will I be able to fit in? I e-mail Girlie with my concerns and she replies it's likely I can't relate to and entertain all the kids. She advises me to relax and be myself. The children who feel up to it will respond and I can focus on spending time with them.
Finally I make the long flight across the ocean and meet Girlie. I'm still nervous about fitting in with the kids, but her positive and happy demeanor relaxes me. She reveals that the cancer ward we're visiting is on a military site and caters to children of the Philippine Armed Forces.
Guards wave us through a checkpoint and I meet the Kythe staff. They're so friendly and upbeat, I sense the children here are in good hands. I look around at all the cute animal and story book characters on the walls and am impressed by the obvious thought and effort that went into creating a healing atmosphere for kids.
We enter the play room and several kids are hooked up to an IV drip or waiting for one. Girlie introduces me to a young girl and boy. They smile shyly as Girlie asks if they would like to hear me read a story. Before long they are giggling as I mimic a silly dwarf voice.
Several kids finish with their IVs and gather around. Someone challenges me to a game of Sesame Street Match-em. Others join in and we play again and again. Try as I might I can't win, but everyone is laughing and having fun. A couple boys want me to watch them whoosh down the slide. Another asks me to play catch.
I see a cute baby staring at me and it takes a few minutes, but I finally coax a smile out of her. Then I read another story and learn how to play a new card game. Back to the baby who now laughs at every face I make.
Suddenly someone is tugging on my shirt and asking if I will watch them race to build a tower of Legos. I agree and am glad I'm not competing as I would definitely lose. I'm having a great time. I realize it was foolish to worry about fitting in with the children.
Truth is they're welcoming me into their world and entertaining me. I look around at happy faces and am encouraged as they received chemo earlier and don't seem lethargic or depressed. This gives me hope that the cancer tests and treatments that I face might not be so bad.
Before I know it, play session is over. Has it really been two hours? Many of the kids thank me for visiting and I get a few hugs. I accompany several of my new friends back to the room where they sleep. I notice several kids lying in beds, too ill to join us in the play room. The mood becomes much more somber and I realize how important the playroom is in providing temporary relief from the anxiety and suffering cancer causes.
After saying my final goodbyes I join Girlie and ask what lies ahead for these kids. She admits several will die because their parents can't afford to pay for medicine or doctor visits needed after they're released from the hospital. I see sadness in her eyes, but Girlie smiles and says we don't dwell on that. Instead, Kythe tries to make their stay in the hospital as is comfortable and fun as possible. I admire her dedication and wish there was more I could do to help.
I'm back in the US now, had my tumor removed and have discovered my cancer isn't life threatening. Fortunately, I have insurance to help with costs and visit a modern hospital that offers the latest technological advances for treatment. I'm thankful, but at times also feel sadness and guilt as many of the kids I visited won't have the same opportunity to heal.
Then I think about the happy smiles while we were playing and the warm hugs I received afterwards. Despite the discomfort and fear many of these kids must have felt, they just wanted to have fun. Their positive spirit gives me strength to overcome the pain and frustration I've faced while recovering from my operation.
I volunteered because I wanted to help. The truth is, I'm the one who benefitted most from my Kythe visit. Once I beat my cancer, I'm definitely returning and volunteering again. I urge anyone reading this to do the same as you'll be amazed by how wonderful it makes one feel to spend time with these kids.