Our permanent partners – Kharkiv City Children’s Clinical Hospital No. 16 of the Kharkiv City Council – have been implementing an important project of psycho-emotional support for young patients and their families for a year and a half. Vlada Yevseyeva, head of the psychological service of hospital No. 16, tells how children, parents, and doctors perceive this wonderful initiative.
“The project started in 2022 when the need for psychological knowledge and additional resources to overcome anxiety in children and adults increased due to the constant shelling of Kharkiv. The idea of the project is that children receive stress relief kits from their doctors upon admission to the hospital or during scheduled examinations,” says the psychologist.
Inside the package, there are wax pencils, a stress relief toy, and plastic materials that help relieve tension through hands – children really enjoy this. And also – an album that is needed not only for drawing.
“I tell parents that it’s not necessary to draw or sculpt something, that it’s not for an art class, not for sculpture. These materials are needed so that the child can also simply tear paper into pieces, squeeze plasticine – thus relieving tension and fear. The kit includes a booklet that says: ‘This is not an album. This is a stress relief tool’,” shares Vlada.
The hospital has six departments. Specialists from the nephrology, oncology-hematology, pediatrics, pulmonology, and resuscitation departments have these kits in their offices permanently. Doctors say that it has become easier to establish contact with the child, negotiate painful injections, and comfort young patients after necessary procedures.
The bravery award in the hospital surprises not only children but also parents.
“Children don’t expect to receive gifts in the hospital. Adults are also surprised, their inner child awakens. They remember how it was in their childhood. They remember the face of their mother who raised her eyebrows when she saw a surprise for her child. It’s really unexpected because the perception of the hospital is associated with grief and pain. And here you come for tests, receive gifts – such an approach changes the consciousness of both children and adults,” reflects Vlada.
Doctors themselves now turn to Vlada Yevseyeva for kits when they run out. Therefore, our foundation constantly replenishes the supplies of stress relief materials for young patients. We thank Austrian benefactors for this opportunity!