KCAT CAN: Have the heart to share and care

Have the heart to share and care
by Maria Kathrina Lopez Yarza 
March 18, 2013

Our hands will never be too small for helping those who are in need, as long we have the heart to care. This is something that I have learned through our annual gift-giving event dubbed “MAY Birthday Project” at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).


Months before my birthday in 2007, I felt like God had been showering me with a lot of blessings which made me decide to give back something in return. So on my next birthday, I celebrated it with the sick kids in the hospital. We lacked the financial means to do it but God made my sincere desire to share and care a reality. We are not wealthy, but I believe that I am rich in non-material things. He gave me more blessings — they are my friends and family who helped me put everything together.

During those parties, I could easily identify with the patients because I am sick as well. I can tell them “I feel for you” while giving them hope and sharing my faith with them.

I would give them things that I’ve collected such as toiletries, diapers, thermometer, and face towel which they can use during their stay in the hospital. Since I myself had been admitted in the hospital a number of times before, I know that these patients need those things. We also give toys to the kids to keep them from being bored. We usually hold the gift-giving event in the two pediatric charity wards: the Pedia Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Surgery Wards (Neuro and Spinal) of the PGH. But last year, we were able to include the ORL (Otorhinolaryngology) Ward.

What started out as a simple activity became bigger and bigger each year as more people, both patients and benefactors, joined us. From an initial 28 people in 2007, our group has now grown to over a hundred. And because we have a lot of volunteers, we were able to interact with all the patients — learning their stories, giving words of encouragement, and prayers.

For this year’s 7th MAY Birthday Project slated on May 18 at PGH, I’d like to call on volunteers again to help make this a successful event. A volunteer or a sponsor of this event doesn’t necessarily need to be someone I personally know. So it means that even you who are reading this can take part in the event. If we gather together and show these patients that we care, we can give them the hope to live on. It will be very tiring, but I promise you that it will be fun and fulfilling!

Interested parties can donate toileries such as tissue, alcohol, cotton, powder, soap, diapers, toys, as well as money to help ensure the success of the event. You may contact my mother Madge Yarza at 0927-2459400 or myself at 0906-3360757.

HELPING THE SICK

Our little actions of love, when put together, can make a big difference. And it’s also possible that every time we do something good, the world changes and gets a little bit better, don’t you think? No matter how insignificant you think you are, you still matter. Everyone matters.

Mother Teresa said, “One of the greatest diseases is to be nobody to anybody.” So let’s become someone significant in the life of another. We can start by sharing to those who are in need of our help.

Zachariah Zane S. Cultura was born with Biliary Atresia. He underwent Kasai procedure to temporarily provide a passage way of bile out of his liver. This allowed him to grow up normally and live life to the fullest. But now the 15-year-old boy’s life is at risk. He needs to have a liver transplant which costs about R4 to R5 million but his family can’t afford it. If you wish to help Zane, you may visit https://www.facebook.com/HelpZaneStayAlive, a fund-raising campaign that was started by his sister.

Two-year-old Jeanice Duazo was diagnosed with a congenital heart disease called Tetralogy of Fallot (Tet). She is having Tet spells almost every day where her lips and fingernails turn blue and she has difficulty in breathing. Yet, despite her suffering, Jeanice is a strong child who loves to play, dance, and sing. Her parents have also noticed her strong determination to live a normal life. She needs to undergo an open heart surgery as soon as possible. Those who’d like to help her family raise P800,000 (cost of the surgery) can get in touch with her mother Hanna Duazo at 0921-7774069 or visit http://www.facebook.com/SaveJeanicesHeart.