The goal of the project is the psychological and social rehabilitation of children who have suffered serious illnesses, including cancer. The initiative was presented at the international forum “Orthodox Volunteer Day.”
Volunteer for the project in Moscow, Anna Vorotnikova, noted that according to the Unified Information Center “Childhood Oncology RF,” five thousand children in Russia are diagnosed with cancer every year. Almost 90% of children can be cured. But during the illness and treatment, they lose contact with their peers, become dependent, and experience fear and guilt about their illness. The “Dobro More” 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 in 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. The “Dobro More” camp will host creative workshops, joint sports and intellectual activities aimed at revealing talents, relieving fears and stiffness, and developing communication skills. Throughout the rehabilitation session, specially trained volunteers from “Dobroe Delo,” psychologists, medical workers, and volunteers will work with the children. The stay at the camp for families will be free of charge, the forum held in Germany noted.
Konstantin Sedov, the founder and head of the charitable organization “Hospital Clowns,” will come to the children at the “Dobro More” camp for the first session. 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 in the rehabilitation of children undergoing inpatient treatment through clowning, art therapy, and play therapy.
The annual international forum “Orthodox Volunteer Day” has been held in cities in Germany since 2015. Last year it took place in Darmstadt. The organizer is the Orthodox diaconal service “Dobroe Delo,” 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 “Dobroe Delo” is to support seriously ill children and adults coming for treatment from Russia and CIS countries.