Click here to view a Presentation on Volunteer Activities at Kidwai.
Youth for Seva has been active at Kidwai Cancer Institute since January 2009. Situated near Diary Circle, Bangalore, Kidwai is a centre for Cancer treatment with seperate wards for children and adults. Given below are the activities where volunteers can contribute.
1. Administrative help at out-patient department:
Timing: 10.30 am to 1.30 pm
Days: Mon to Friday (only mornings)
Minimum of 3 volunteers required
Activities:
• Filling up of railway concession forms for patients who come from other parts of Karnataka. (Though the form is to be filled in English, it will help if Volunteers can speak basic kannada to communicate with the patients.)
• Guide new patients to treatment rooms, wards, etc
2. Children’s Ward (Kapoor Ward)
There are around 35 children in this ward, in the age group of 1 to 15 years. Most children are cancer/luekamia patients who undergo treatment(chemotherapy, blood transfusion, etc) for a minimum duration of 6 months.
Timings: 12 pm – 4 pm (Morning hours are not feasible as doctor visits and treatments happen between 10 am – 1 pm)
Days: Mon to Saturday (only afternoons)
Activities:
• Art & Craft
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Teaching (kannada knowledge is preferred since most children are from government schools/remote areas of karnataka)
• Mild Games
• Cartoon movies
• Yoga (At present, Yoga classes are being conducted by Yograthna with the help of a YFS volunteer who translates english to kannada. We need one more volunteer who can help to manage the children)
• Magic shows
• Puppet shows
• Story reading (Plenty of kannada books are available at the hospital library. We need someone who can read Kannada)
• We need volunteers to clean up the child-play area.
• Volunteers are requested to donate old tricycles which are in a working condition. Also, it will be helpful if someone can repair existing tricycles.
Note: We have plenty of toys, reading material, jigsaw puzzles, etc available at the hospital itself.
3. Dharmashala
There are around 200 adults, male and female in seperate wards at Dharmashala. There are 2 buildings for the same – Infosys Dharmashala and Sri Venkateshwara Dharmashala
Timings: 12 pm – 4pm
Days: Monday – Saturday
Activities:
• Once a week, conduct Bhajan sessions.
• Pranayam sessions and Relaxation techniques
• Reading kannada books – spiritual books, story books, etc (available at hospital library)
• Beautification of area around Dharmashala (Plant trees, etc)
• Perform skits on social issues – child labour, dowry death, child marriage, importance of education, etc
• Arrange lectures (in kannada)
• Collect old newspapers and make paper bags
• Awareness talks on General hygiene and Women’s hygiene
Palliative Care: This ward has terminally ill patients. We need counsillors who can talk to patients on how to cope with the idea of death, and talk to patient’s attendants on how to deal with the loss of a loved one.
You may also organize a Day care Program (11:30 am – 1:30 pm) wherein you can conduct various activities, songs, talks, etc. This program includes lunch as well. At present, counsellors from Banjara Academy conduct Day care programs on Wednesdays.
4. Donation
If you have old usable sarees, bedsheets, shirts or bedspreads, you may donate them to Kidwai patients.
Do’s and Don’ts for Volunteers
DO”s: Have fun, be creative, and keep up your visit time and the day’s you volunteer.
Don’t”s: Do not give food, candy or any eatables to the patients, do not give any money directly to the patient’s (can be done in consultation with the ward in charge),do not give any medical advice ,suggestions or get into a discussion on their health problems.
