Child's Smile
The large gray hospital building stands tall with six floors of symmetrical windows climbing up it. It looks drab and unimportant from the exterior, but for the 500 child patients inside from birth to 18 years old, it is a glimmer of hope for a healthy future. The Rostov Regional Children's Hospital is rated the top children's hospital in Russia and one of the many reasons why can be found on the third floor, in the pediatric hematology unit.
The monotony of white walls is broken up with orange door frames down the long corridor. In each of the 20 rooms there are two children, once strangers that now lay side by side on their twin cots treated for various forms of cancer. Keeping a watchful eye on each room is the chief Doctor of the hematology unit, Dr. Karapet Aslanyan, but to the children he is "Karapet", a name that is used for close friends.
Half way down the hallway, in a room on the left side sits 5 year old Yulia. She's coloring quietly as the DVD she was watching comes to an end. Yulia's mother is always looking for distracting activities while her daughter receives 24 hours of treatment to fight the leukemia cells that attack her little body. Only months ago, Yulia was attending preschool and learning English, but after her diagnosis she spends a month at the hospital with only a week or two to enjoy the comfort of home before returning for treatment again.
Yulia is not the only child that spends her days in solitude. Many of the children here are bound to their colorless rooms by the tubes and medicine that treat them. Yet, for these children there is a chance to be free from the worries of the hospital. In honor of Amway's 50th Anniversary through the One by One Campaign for Children, these little patients can forget about their disease and just be a child in the Amway/UNICEF Child's Smile playroom. This playroom is one of over 60 that will be designed in children's institutions and hospitals all over Russia. Full of color, life and of course, toys, the playroom at this hospital is always buzzing with activity, especially after treatments are over. Little David, a three year old leukemia patient, can't get to the room fast enough. "He feels at home in this room," says David's mother Lydia. "It is heart warming for us as parents to watch our children play. Thank you for giving them, and us, that enjoyment."
The hospital serves children from many countries including Russia, Turkey and Armenia and regardless of the region the universal sound of "choo-choo" is understood among all the children. Donated by Amway, the train in the room is among the children's favorites. And IBOs and employees are quick to be sure new toys are always available.
No matter what tickles their fancy, the sterile masks that cover the children's smiles can't disguise the enjoyment in their eyes. For little Yulia, it's the play kitchen that makes her eyes dance. Traditional Russian cuisine of Borsht is her specialty and whoever happens to be in the playroom is welcome to dine with her. She'll even do the dishes.
"This playroom has positively impacted the environment of our hospital," says Doctor Aslanyan. "Anything that helps the psychological rehabilitation of our children is invaluable."
The playroom is not the only gift from Amway at this hospital. Just a few doors down from the playroom is another important gift, state of the art, highly technical anesthetic equipment donated by six Diamond-level Amway IBOs. The relationship between the hospital and Amway started with IBO Vladimir Moon, whose son was treated at this hospital. The new equipment allows vital procedures to be done in the same department where children are treated. "Before children had to be transported to another area of the hospital for these procedures, which put them at risk with their poor immune systems. It is now easier and more convenient to give these children the procedures they need," says Doctor Aslanyan.
The Rostov Regional Children's Hospital has plans to construct a new building for the hematology unit in the future and acquire more state of the art equipment. But for now the third floor with a very special playroom is home away from home to 40 small patients.
And after a full hour of playing, it is now 2pm and time for many of the children to head back to their rooms for a nap. They do so obediently, including three year old David, who has a train car clenched in hand.
