In caring for children with special needs and chronic non-communicable diseases, in addition to medical follow-up, fun and affection are essential. In the municipality of Contramaestre, the Halo of Hope project is becoming an integrative strategy for treating these patients.
For the medical students participating in this initiative, it represents an opportunity to develop values that will enrich their future professional careers. Nelvis Gorina Sánchez, a specialist in Pathological Anatomy who has led the project since its inception, asserts that “above all, students must have sensitivity for the children they treat, in order to become healers of sadness.”
In addition to promoting empathy for children, Halo of Hope provides a space for dialogue with families, strengthening bonds of affection and gratitude. Roxana Góngora Benítez, a medical student and member of the project, commented that she enjoys receiving thanks from parents, as they also play an important role in the treatment of pediatric patients.
The student added that the greatest reward of caring for children lies in appreciating their smiles and the joy they are capable of experiencing. “We do it for them and for them, so that they feel special, because they are.”
Projects like Halo of Hope represent a learning process for students in medical science programs. It involves firsthand experience of the challenges of the profession and taking them on with love and enthusiasm; in other words, it is about learning to bring hope.
