05 December 2024
Last weekend, Yuppi Camp volunteers put on their elf ears and embarked on an emotional adventure. They met, for the first time, the children admitted to the Oncology and Gastroenterology departments at the hospital. They read stories to the children, taught them magic tricks, and formed special friendships.
Among the volunteers was Ale, who shared her impressions after the activity.
“On the way to the hospital, I felt a little nervous. But along with the nerves, there was also a longing—a longing to interact with the children, to make them smile. When I entered the first room, I met Sofia. She wasn’t feeling very well that day, having had a long night, and was lying down. When I showed her the tricks, she didn’t want to flip the cards and barely spoke. But I didn’t give up.
We talked about her cute accessories, and it seemed she began to open up a bit. I also gave her a deck of cards and encouraged her to learn the tricks with me. At the very last trick, she got up and told me she wanted to learn and that’s why she stood up. She started talking more and even smiling. When I showed her the tricks, she was lying down, but when it was her turn to perform them, she sat up, using all her strength, and did them together with me.
At the end, she told me with a smile that she really enjoyed it and that she would show the trick to her friend. In that moment, I felt the magic. I left with a warm, full heart because I could hear her voice, see her smile, and witness her good mood. My fellow volunteers told me that Sofia had already shared with them the tricks she learned today.”
Dear volunteers, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity, energy, and love! We are also very grateful to the staff at the Cluj-Napoca Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children for all their help and openness. Dear children and parents, thank you for welcoming us with so much trust!
Starting this month, Yuppi Camp will organize monthly experiential therapy activities at the Cluj-Napoca Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children. Stay tuned, as we will surely return with more stories and testimonies.
