Katherine Martínez has been the director of the NGO Prepara Familia for more than 10 years, an organization born to provide support to the patients and caregivers of JM De Los Ríos Hospital. Today the challenge has become greater, the deficiencies of the health center are increasing and children’s days are divided between buying food or paying for treatments.
On July 19, an atypical children’s day was celebrated in Venezuela. This time there were no parks, movies, or recreational spaces open to celebrate the day of all kids, confined for more than four months at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This new reality does not conform to needs and deficiencies, as has been shown by more than 200 patients at José Manuel De Los Ríos children’s Hospital, whose reality did not stop with the coronavirus.
That is why the NGO Prepara Familia started to seek ways to commemorate the day of these children and adolescents -who remain hospitalized for various pathologies- and pay tribute to the health personnel.
This was explained by Katherine Martínez, director of the organization responsible for ensuring the rights of patients and caregivers at JM De Los Ríos Hospital.
– On Sunday, July 19, a serenade of Venezuelan music was offered to the children hospitalized in the oncology, hematology, and nephrology services from outside the health center. How did this initiative come about?
-Since the pandemic emerged, access to the hospital is only allowed to patients suffering chronic illnesses and requiring regular treatment; this means that visits were understandably suspended, preventing the recreational organizations that use to bring this type of gifts to the children from visiting the Hospital, and leading us to think of alternative options.
A month ago we came up with the initiative of serenading the children. We wanted to follow what we have seen in other countries, where children and patients have been brought songs and instrumental music; we even studied the case of Spain, where the health personnel received ovations every night at 8 o’clock in recognition of their work with coronavirus patients.
– Do children at the JM De Los Ríos Hospital have access to recreational areas to spend their days and protect their rights?
-Not at all, It is not the same being a patient in a Hospital in Spain than in an underfunded JM De Los Ríos, where even water supply is missing. Children in European hospitals have no worries, they have access to video game areas and other recreation facilities; Children in Venezuelan hospitals do not even have a TV set or games to recreate and spend their days. The reality of our children is very harsh. Despite their sufferings, they are still children.
– Was it easy to gather support for this initiative?
-Not really. It took me a long time to get musicians to support me. We contacted several of them until William and Xabier decided to join. At that time I thanked God.
Several of the singers we called were out of the country, others could not participate because of the pandemic, the stay at home rules, and all that.
We reached the boys because they had already participated with us in our events; Prepara Familia used to have an alliance with Guataca, who came to play every time there was a celebration.
– Did everything go as expected?
-Well, the boys had planned to sing four songs that day, complying with all security measures. It was just the three of us, with masks and keeping distance.
The musicians had a speaker, but we did not anticipate that it was Sunday and everything around us was closed, so we could not connect it. Despite this, the activity went on and it turned out great.
A doctor joined and danced while the boys sang. The last song was dedicated to the health personnel to thank them for their passionate work, you have no idea of the sacrifice they make to carry out their duties and be always ready.
But really, everything was so beautiful that we came up with the idea of calling this initiative “From the Sidewalk Across”.
We did not even have anyone to record it, and a journalist happened to be passing by at the moment and recorded the video that was uploaded to social media.
– What is the organization looking for with this initiative?
-We intend to show that, even amid this problem, we can perform “From the Sidewalk Across” and bring joy to our children in hospitals throughout the country.
I have received emails from many people interested in singing to children and perform plays and magic tricks to them, so we will continue to think about the gifts we can bring to children amid this situation.
All Venezuelans have to think of ways to thank the commitment of the health personnel.
A change, a gesture, replicating the good ideas, helps to bring joy to those who need it. There is a rebound in the pandemic and we have to have a nice gesture, something on a recreational level.
Translated by: José Rafael Medina.
