By Jialing Wang | Volunteer
Hi Everyone,
We hope you are all enjoying the splendors of the spring season. In this newsletter we wanted to highlight one of our children who is open for sponsorship through generous donors like you. Sponsoring a child provides for all of their needs throughout the year, and is a great way to keep engaged with one particular child.
Yao Yao lives in the countryside in Funan, Anhui with his parents, both of whom are HIV-positive. Yao is like any other sever year old boy - he loves to play with his friends and never uses his indoor voice! Although life in rural China is difficult, Yao’s brother was able to secure employment as a migrant worker and began sending the family a small stipend. About 10 months ago, our workers noticed that Yao’s arms were bruised. Assuming that the bruises resulted from normal kids’ play, the issue was set aside for the time being. When the bruises persisted, our workers repeatedly asked Yao’s parents to bring him to the doctor. Yao was quickly diagnosed with a dangerously low platelet count and hospitalized for 13 days for the first of two rounds of treatment, for which his parents had to borrow money to pay out of pocket.
While his health improved significantly, Yao is waiting to receive a second round of treatment and unfortunately, his family does not have the necessary funds. Our workers are now working with the family to see if the treatment can be financed by the government. Yao’s mom has been so worried that she lost 12 pounds in one month. Our workers have listened to her concerns intently and encouraged her to take care of herself so she will have enough strength to continue to care for Yao.
This example illustrates the complexities of providing care to children living with HIV/AIDS. In reality, care extends much beyond a pill counting chart. It requires attention to detail like noticing bruises on a child’s arm, patience to listen to the parents’ worries with empathy and problem-solving skills to help the parents resolve challenges. The family situation is completely different for each child and, in turn, our workers tailor their approach to ensure that each PATS child gets the care and support they need and deserve.
To help PATS in our endeavor to provide children like Yao with a brighter future, please consider sponsorship. Visit www.patskids.org for more information.
Check out the many other ways to engage with PATS:
Thanks for your continued support!
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