Lily's goodbye to the children more difficult than she could have imagined

It is going to be really difficult to start a week that doesn’t begin with three days at Maitland Cottage, followed by classes and then a weekend of exploring. I have learned so much this semester and it’s been amazing being able to place it into the context of this city. 

I have learned so much at my internship from the staff, events and the children during my time here. The staff in the theater and physiotherapy departments were invested in teaching us and letting us see and ask quesitons about all of the different conditions and procedures. They would explain to us the operations they were doing and why plaster casts were needed to be formed in different ways to correct different deformities. It was amazing to be able to scrub into surgeries and learn and help out in any way possible because most hospitals in the US would have medical students who would be doing this instead. 

The events at the hospital encouraged me to go into a medical profession that combines my interest in health care with my interests in human rights. Everyone should have access to proper medical care, because at MCH we saw what improper treatment could do to growth and development. Children should not be forced to grow up unable to walk because their family could not afford to see a doctor. Being in a hospital that is geared to help impoverished children was incredibly difficult, but seeing what these kids face every day has really made me want to work to help them improve their lives and health. 

It was fascinating to see the ways in which the staff tried to be resourceful in the funding and materials that they had. However, it was very difficult to see the materials they were lacking and the difficulties with expenses that limited treatment to some degree. It is understandable that the hospital would need to prioritize, so as part of our activist project we donated money to be used towards certain things that may not be at the top of the budget list, but that were important for every day. An example of this would be spoons for the wards at lunch time, because whenever we helped serve lunch, there were never enough for each child and they would need to share and wait for each other to finish eating. Part of our donation is going towards getting teaspoons for meals so that this is no longer an issue. Other things the donation was for are a new cast-removal saw, a microwave to heat up hot packs, and other products that they had price quotes for but no funding. 

The children taught me that any energy put into kindness is worth it because that small amount can improve someones day. When we walked into the wards in the morning, the children would call our names to come see them and give us hugs. Children who needed help with school work the previous day would take pride in showing me that they finished their worksheets successfully and they were so happy when you congratulated and clapped for them. Seeing such huge smiles on these children's faces was work every second of being there. Playing with them in the playroom was inspirational because of the way that they worked around their limiting injuries and diseases to be a kid as much as possible. Many would figure out how to walk on bilateral casts so that they could push their stroller around outside. It really showed me how resilient children are and how giving them a positive memory of their time at MCH could be beneficial to their future mental health.

 It is amazing to think about how spending three days a week at one place could change how I want to spend my future, but these children need organizations like this to correct disease, injuries and deformities for those of all races and incomes. It has made me look into a future career in public health, international medicine, and more so that these issues can be corrected. 

Saying goodbye to the children at Maitland Cottage was so much more difficult than I could have imagined at the beginning of the semester; some of the children had been there longer than we had, so we got to know them very well over the semester. They were sad when we said we were leaving and they drew me pictures. One of the girls that I had a close bond with asked if she could go home with me, which was heartbreaking because I knew she didn’t have a proper home to go back to. They taught me the importance of showing children kindness and affection because you never know what their home life is like or when they need some cheering up. They have no idea how much they taught me in one semester and I truly hope that I made their days at least a tiny bit better during their stays in the hospital.