Hospital School Dream Growing Camp, boosts children's self-esteem

A special overnight trip with children with short stature

Successful career experience and music therapy through various education programs

"My dream is to become a doctor. I want to treat and give hope to friends who are sick like me."

The 'Korea University Guro Hospital Dream Growing Camp,' a 1-night and 2-day event to foster the dreams and hopes of children with short stature and their families, was held on the 16th at the International Youth Center in Banghwa-dong, Seoul.

A total of about 100 people, including children with the disease, their families, medical staff from Korea University Guro Hospital, and hospital school teachers, participated in the camp, showing great enthusiasm.

The children with the disease and their families communicated by making sounds with various musical instruments and expressing their inner stories and emotions through music therapy.

In addition, a career experience classroom was opened where they could experience various occupations such as doctors, nurses, teachers, and musicians to help children with the disease think about and explore their future careers, and parents were educated on how to communicate with their children to create a warm home. In addition, various educational programs such as recreation, talent shows, and disease management education were prepared, which were well received by children with the disease and their families.

One child with the disease who participated in the camp said, "It was hard to receive treatment at the hospital, but I'm so happy because I made new friends and had fun with my mom and dad."

Most of the participants are children with rare and intractable diseases caused by various factors such as rickets, achondroplasia, and growth hormone deficiency, and are shorter than others. However, what children fear most is not their slightly different appearance, but social prejudice and awareness of short stature disabilities.

Kim Won-cheol, a medical social worker at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, "We wanted to provide various career exploration opportunities through the camp and help children with the disease have dreams and adapt to school and social life." "Although it is a short time, I hope it will be of some help in enhancing the family love and disease management capabilities of children with the disease through the family camp."

Professor Song Hae-ryong, head of the Rare and Intractable Disease Center at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, "Young children who have suffered from intractable diseases have overcome their illnesses and are now successful university students and are actively working in various fields of society, confidently working in leading companies." "I hope that you will overcome the disease with dreams and hopes for the future, supporting each other's pain," he said, encouraging the children with the disease and their families.

Professor Eun Baek-rin, principal of Korea University Guro Hospital School, also said, "This camp was prepared so that friends with the same disease as me and their loving families can have a fun and special time." "I hope this will be a time to confirm the love between family members that you have not felt because you are close to each other."