When friends Maryam Quraishi and Eman Umer were volunteering at a local hospital about three years ago, the coronavirus was forcing strict limitations on the number of visitors and volunteers who could be with patients.
Then freshmen at Northwood High School in Irvine, Quraishi and Umer were especially struck by the lack of engagement for pediatric patients, who, in some cases, were in isolation and couldn’t leave their rooms.
Or, in some cases, volunteers were too busy with other duties and not able to spend adequate time with the young patients, Umer said.
“I kind of noticed that there were these patients who were looking forward to playing with volunteers and volunteers weren’t able to make it,” she recalled. “So, I kind of started wondering how Miriam and I could work together to kind of fill this gap.”
The friends did fill the gap, and then some.
Umer and Quraishi, who are now Northwood seniors, started a nonprofit, “Crafting Smiles,” with the mission of “bringing joy and connection to hospitalized children.”
Through Zoom, their volunteers host workshops for the children to help them “pursue their passions,” whether it is painting, pottery, origami or one of many other activities.
Crafting Smiles’ curriculum also offers digital art, music and storytime sessions.
Children are provided with Amazon Fire tablets to connect to Zoom for the sessions, along with the materials needed to create their chosen craft.
“We provide the hospitals with all the necessary materials to do the workshop so that the patients can fully pursue something beyond what they are provided with at the hospital,” Quraishi said.
All supplies are safe for children as young as 3 years old and the sessions last about 30 minutes.
When permitted, the hospitalized children can meet with volunteer instructors in person.
Fountain Valley Regional Hospital was the first to take advantage of the services offered by Crafting Smiles.
Adrienne Feilden, pediatric…
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