Sally Test Child Life Program Update
Many AMPATH supporters fondly recall days spent with the children at the Sally Test Child Life Program (STCLP), the first child life program in Kenya, started by Sarah Ellen Mamlin.
Recently, Sarah Ellen spoke with the program’s director, Ernest Kirui, and shared these updates:
Artwork created by the children at the Sally Test Child Live Program.
Ernest reported things are going as well as possible although grant funding ended for some of the crucial Child Life team. Currently there are 19 people working as part of the Child Life team. Five are paid by the MTRH and 14 are “volunteers” paid by philanthropic funds.
There are increasing calls for child life workers. Currently, in addition to covering the Shoe4Africa hospital, the ST team is also covering children in renal dialysis, cardiac, diabetic and dental clinics in the Chandaria Centre.
There is no generalized testing for COVID-19 in the pediatric hospital. Children are tested before surgery. If a child has symptoms on a ward, she or he is tested and isolated if positive. There have not been many cases of the disease in the hospital in spite of numbers increasing in the general population.
Toys and other equipment could use a refresh. Sorely missed items are construction paper, crayons and matchbox cars. Matchbox cars are treasured by children as rewards when successfully completing procedures or facing other stressful experiences in the hospital.
Morgan Livingstone, a freelance child life specialist from Toronto, Canada, who has worked as a volunteer program trainer with the STCLP team since 2008, received a grant and has purchased (in-country) seven computer tablets and two laptops for the team to use. Funds were also received to underwrite a salary for the STCLP librarian, Denis Chagira, to keep the tablets charged and loaded with games and preparation materials.
The recent installation of the linear accelerator machine allows adults (first) and now children with cancer to receive radiotherapy. The team has just added to preparation materials to the new tablets to prepare children when they undergo everything from needle sticks to x-rays, MRIs, and now radiotherapy.
The Stephanie Brater Children’s Library of 6,454 books now averages about 70 books loaned daily. Many members from among the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and medical school use it in addition to books borrowed and used by the children.
A major program that is rewarding to both the Sally Test staff, young patients, and families are the Beads of Courage Program. Oncology and renal patients create chains of beads representing the vast number of procedures and operations in strings that allow them to create a diary-like chain of hospital memories. Amazingly, the pride of young children guiding friends, family, and staff through those experiences seem to largely kindle memories for all. Oncology patients spend long periods in the hospital – in and out; however, renal patients may stay in the hospital for over a year at the time.
Another program that is exceedingly therapeutic for children is the creation of Memory Books which encourage children to reflect on their feelings and thoughts about hospitalization in words and drawings. These books even have activities that include hospital staff and other adults as a collective effort.