Seeing a child smile is one of the most beautiful things in life. This is especially true when that child is confined to the pediatric ward at the Archet Hospital in Nice. The visit of two champions, Franck Esposito (Olympic medalist and European swimming champion) and José Cobos (iconic captain of OGC Nice), brought smiles to dozens of seriously ill children for an afternoon. The two athletes are patrons of the Dr. Souris Association. “Our association aims to provide children with access to new technologies to break the isolation they experience when hospitalized,” explains Roger Abehassera, president of the association. Breaking the isolation means allowing children, through the internet, to communicate with their friends and family, and also with other hospitalized children. With the internet and a computer, the days seem shorter and activities are expanded: fun and educational software, the possibility to listen to music or watch a DVD.
The Dr. Souris Association not only supplies the equipment to hospitals, but it also follows up, trains the staff, and provides support. Three Parisian hospitals (Necker, Trousseau, and Robert Debré) have incorporated this very beautiful and noble project into their institution.
The hospital staff is satisfied and the children very happy. Toulouse and Nice will be equipped with efficient computer tools. “It’s an educational, fun, and communication opening. The project is ambitious and the Archet Hospital for better care will equip the rooms with everything necessary for this project,” affirms Stéphane Jarlégand, Deputy Director of the Archet Hospital. The pediatric service includes fifty rooms and 85 beds. 250 people work there. Eight will be trained to know all the basics of the computer equipment and its specific uses in a hospital environment: know the software well, solve potential problems, answer parents’ questions about parental control, etc.
Unfortunately, there is a “but”. The agreement between the Dr. Souris Association and the Hospital is signed. Since the beginning of the year, the Dr. Souris Association has been seeking funding for this project which costs several hundred thousand Euros. The event on Wednesday, with the presence of Franck Esposito and José Cobos, was a call for donations so that this project can become a reality as soon as possible. The presence of most of the media outlets from the Azure Coast offers a great boost to this association. Let’s hope that it is enough… Sick children need so much to smile, for comfort, and wellbeing. That’s all that the Dr. Souris Association will bring them.
Vincent Trinquat
To make donations, go to the Dr. Souris Association’s website:
https://www.docteursouris.asso.fr/main.asp
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