The goal of the project is the psychological and social rehabilitation of children who have undergone serious illnesses, including cancer. The initiative was presented at the international forum “Orthodox Volunteer Day.”
Volunteer of the project in Moscow, Anna Vorotnikova, noted that according to the Unified Information Center “Pediatric Oncology RF,” every year 5,000 children in Russia are diagnosed with cancer. Nearly 90% of children can be cured. But during the illness and treatment, they lose contact with their peers, become less independent, and experience fear and guilt about their illness. The “Good Sea” program is aimed at the rehabilitation of children in Montenegro. Its goal, according to Alina Titova, is to support children and their families and help them cope with the psycho-social consequences of serious illnesses affecting children and their families. This was reported on the websiteDiaconia.ru.
In the first session, scheduled for October, a therapeutic recreation program will be developed for each family. At the “Good Sea” camp, creative workshops, joint sports and intellectual activities will be organized to help reveal talents, overcome fears and stiffness, and develop communication skills. Throughout the rehabilitation session, specially trained volunteers from “Good Deed,” psychologists, medical workers, and volunteers will work with the children. The stay at the camp for families will be free of charge, it was noted at the forum, which was held in Germany.
Konstantin Sedov, founder and head of the charitable organization “Hospital Clowns,” will come to the “Good Sea” camp for the first session with the children. The organization’s staff — professional actors, directors, and musicians — regularly visit children in hospitals in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Rostov-on-Don, and Orel. Hospital clowns help rehabilitate children undergoing inpatient treatment through clowning, art therapy, and play therapy.
The annual international forum “Orthodox Volunteer Day” has been held in cities across Germany since 2015. Last year it took place in Darmstadt. The organizer is the Orthodox diaconal service “Good Deed,” established in 2012 with the blessing of Archbishop Feofan of Berlin and Germany (Russian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate) and Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia). The main task of “Good Deed” is to support seriously ill children and adults coming for treatment from Russia and CIS countries.