People all over the world are wishing each other a Merry Christmas at the moment. Nevertheless, some people will be spending Christmas Eve in hospital this year, including many children. Their greatest wish will be to go home maybe even greater than the desire for Santa (or in the case of the Czech Republic – the Child Jesus) to visit them at Christmas. So once the Christmas spirit has arrived, the patients must overcome the feeling that the Child Jesus will come to them and yet not fulfill their biggest wish on Christmas Eve.
This was the inspiration for a group of students from our faculty (organized by the association ‘Motolák’ and by IFMSA CZ), who decided to promote the Christmas atmosphere and prepare some presents for the patients of the Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology and the Department for Long-term Care at the Christmas Workshop. The Christmas Workshop took place on the last Thursday afternoon before Christmas – the 18th. The presents didn’t wait for the Child Jesus’ express and were given to the patients directly.
In some units of the department children gathered in one room where students had prepared a Christmas program, with carols by request or just to enjoy a Christmas atmosphere. Elsewhere the students played and sang in each patient’s room or in the corridors. Mainly because of poignant determination, and thanks to wide publicity, in the end many students (about thirty) arrived and were divided into two groups going to the separate units of the departments. One group was accompanied by guitars, the second by clarinets, violins and an angel. Many thanks are owed to the international students who, through their ideas for presents, gave this event an international character.
And which presents were given to patients?
As well as for hand made congratulations cards, pictures, chains, paper flakes, stars for decoration and some other small things, children were given plush toys acquired by a public collection. For the parents of the patients, and the staff the students prepared baked horseshoes...
The whole event took place in this form for the first time. All the material and presents were obtained by the organizers, and for this many thanks are due to them...
I think that this event was unique, relaxing and didn’t take too much work. All of us can contribute something – singing, playing an instrument, painting or at least smiling 
. I look forward to next year, to the next Christmas workshop and singing for patients. I wish everyone at least one fulfilled Christmas wish!
-az-
