Volunteer Spotlight: Gavriel Shimonov
1) What was something that you learned because of your involvement in TEACH?
Prior to medical school, I had volunteered to organize and participate in various fun activities in an afterschool program for homeless children. When I first learned about project TEACH in medical school, I was extremely excited to once again volunteer with children, this time in a hospital setting. After volunteering for several sessions, I realized that some children might need some extra time to warm up to or get comfortable with volunteers. By starting off each session with a simple magic trick, balloon animals, or by simply asking about their favorite superhero, a previously shy and nervous child was suddenly giggling and more excited to start the TEACH modules. In addition, I also learned the importance of taking into account individual children's preferences for TEACH, often asking the child life specialist the age ranges and preferences of the children who are going to be participating in the next TEACH session so that the modules are more tailored for them. I found this to be especially important when volunteering with children with special needs. Most importantly, what I learned from TEACH was the positive difference we can make in a child's hospital stay by providing them with fun and mentally stimulating activities while also simply just spending time and engaging with them.
2)How has TEACH impacted you?
As I am finishing up my third year medical school rotations, I am grateful for the parts of medicine that TEACH has shown me. While on rotations the priority was largely to quickly check in on and treat patients. The lens of medicine that I had through TEACH taught me about the importance of the child's entire hospital stay, and not just taking care of them medically. While working with children during my rotations, I would try my best to make their hospital stay or visit even a little better, whether it be by simply getting them stickers or performing a little magic trick to get them to smile. I understand that as I get further into my medical career, I will have less and less time to do much extra for patients. However, the perspective that I gained from TEACH will always be there and I hope to utilize every opportunity I get in the future to implement it.
3) What was the most memorable (or two) TEACH moment(s) with a child that made your day and made you feel like you were making a difference?
When I would go the child life specialists at SUNY Downstate to discuss future TEACH sessions, it would make my day to hear from them how much happier children from prior sessions were, and how excited they were for future sessions. One TEACH session there was a little girl with sickle cell disease who unfortunately was not doing too well. In the playroom, she was barely interacting with any of the volunteers. After a while, we managed to gain her interest in at least participating in the module. Before we left, we saw her have a little smile as she was staring proudly at her creation. A few days later at another TEACH session, the same girl was there. She was smiling ear to ear, reaching for the supplies on her own, and was even excitedly interacting with the volunteers. Seeing firsthand the difference we were making was just an amazing experience that I have been fortunate to have many times with TEACH.
4) If you could tell our donors, volunteers and collaborators one thing, what would it be and why?
I can't even imagine all the effort that goes into making TEACH run as smoothly as it does. To the donors, volunteers, and collaborators - to everyone who has their own important roles in making sure it does run, I know that it can sometimes be a bit difficult. I say that as someone who was a volunteer and President of TEACH at SUNY Downstate before and during Covid-19. But having had the opportunity to personally see the difference we are making in the lives of so many hospitalized children, I can promise you that it is 100% worth it.
