By OUIDA DUNCAN | Founder, Duncan Tree Foundation
Duncan Tree and our local partner Scoliosis Philippines recently organized a Facebook Rooms reunion with a group of beneficiaries from the Philippines. We wanted to find out how these young people were coping physically and emotionally during the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea was to encourage everyone to remain hopeful and positive during this season of uncertainty. To lift everyone's spirit we sang Imagine, by John Lennon, and everyone took turns sharing their inner thoughts and feelings and what they were each doing to remain positive in spite of all of the challenges outside of their control.
The group consensus was it was hard to be cooped up indoors for months during COVID, but everyone understood the importance of staying home and staying safe and they were all looking forward to a better future. To help brighten everyone's spirit we organized a creative contest to hear and see rays of sunshine coming out of the pandemic.
I am delighted to share the winning entry (a poem) by Alexi D who received free surgical intervention for severe scoliosis from the Duncan Tree Team (in partnership with Medtronic Spine & Biologics, Speciality Care, and Southern Philippines Medical Center with you).
I SPY (a Poem by Alexi D)
I spy with my little eyes;
carefree little children laughing, playing with their bikes.
I spy with my little eyes;
Lads and lassies finally achieving what they really like.
Was just a Wee Bonnie Lassie,
wanting a beautiful normal life.
Unable to have one for hers,
‘Cuz of an inborn disability she mostly despised.
She wants it away, she wants it gone.
So that she can finally be free and carefree.
Kneeled and prayed, to the Gods she begun
Hoping one day they’ll grant the wish, the little lassie sung.
And so a blessing in disguise,
an angel on its feet arrives!
Offered the wee bonnie lassie,
a chance to change and survive!
She was so happy,
so thankful and lucky,
That finally the things she once dreamed to do
are now finally within her grasp.
But that grasp wasn’t tight.
The dream of hers almost went out of her sight.
A pandemic you call it, a deadly virus, you describe it
became one of the reasons for her to slip it.
In her little mind, she thought
“Is this a sign?
That I should give up trying and just spend to my family,
the rest of my time?”
But then she thought once more,
“I’ve encountered worse than this,
Suffered severe than this,
Why would I give up, when I’m almost at the door?”
So the wee Bonnie Lassie,
Once more believed,
And continued hoping that one day,
That dream of hers will finally be secured at her reach.
We realize this is a difficult time for many around the globe, but if you are in the spirit of giving to lift the spirits of these young people, we welcome you to give any amount you can. Share your comments and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @duncantree.
By Ouida Duncan | Founder, Duncan Tree Foundation
By Ouida Duncan | Founder & CEO
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