One hundred and fifty hours: Divided out, that is about 6.25 days. This is the required number of CAS, or Creative, Action and Service, hours that an International Baccalaureate diploma candidate must volunteer for in Junior and Senior year. This year, to help make this feat less overwhelming, the IB Class of 2013 has adopted a charity: Proyecto Daniel, a charity based in Costa Rica that helps rebuild, remodel and restore hospitals for youth cancer patients. With such a specific goal, one wonders what the connection to Victor may be.
Daniel, the boy for whom this charity was named, was the son of Bernardo and Ligia Bobadilla. Bill Kujawski, Victor high school junior Noah Kujawski’s father, met Bernard when he was eight and Bernardo was a foreign exchange student at Victor. Bill and Bernardo lived together for a number of years, becoming close, and ultimately considering each other brothers.
In Costa Rica, Bernardo and Ligia had a son named Daniel. In his teens, about the age we all are now, Daniel was diagnosed with cancer. At the age of 19 he passed.
As a youth cancer patient receiving treatment in hospitals, Daniel knew firsthand what it was like to be young and dealing with cancer treatment. The fact is that in Costa Rica, many hospitals don’t have a sole focus on children or pediatrics like many hospitals in America.
Children naturally have a brighter, more positive outlook on life. They want to play and enjoy life. When rooming with older cancer patients, many who have a great deal of negativity, it affects the children.
“When a young girl in Costa Rica was interviewed for a news story, she said how awful it was to be a cancer patient in a hospital where she shares a room with two older patients,” reported Noah Kujawski. “She said that she hasn’t valued her life because she can’t listen to music or watch TV due to her elder roommates’ disapproval.”
In Daniel’s memory, his parents Bernardo and Ligia created the charity Proyecto Daniel in honor of him and his wish of having a youth patient hospital.
When the Victor IB class of 2013 was presented with the opportunity to support this charity, they were touched and decided that they would be selling orange bracelets made in and sent from Costa Rica. The IB Class is also asking for donations, which will gradually lead to the selling of t-shirts. The goal is to raise $20,000- the cost of a single remodeled room for a youth cancer patient.
One hundred and fifty hours: Divided out, that is about 6.25 days. This is the required number of CAS, or Creative, Action and Service, hours that an International Baccalaureate diploma candidate must volunteer for in Junior and Senior year. This year, to help make this feat less overwhelming, the IB Class of 2013 has adopted a charity: Proyecto Daniel, a charity based in Costa Rica that helps rebuild, remodel and restore hospitals for youth cancer patients. With such a specific goal, one wonders what the connection to Victor may be.
Daniel, the boy for whom this charity was named, was the son of Bernardo and Ligia Bobadilla. Bill Kujawski, Victor high school junior Noah Kujawski’s father, met Bernard when he was eight and Bernardo was a foreign exchange student at Victor. Bill and Bernardo lived together for a number of years, becoming close, and ultimately considering each other brothers.
In Costa Rica, Bernardo and Ligia had a son named Daniel. In his teens, about the age we all are now, Daniel was diagnosed with cancer. At the age of 19 he passed.
As a youth cancer patient receiving treatment in hospitals, Daniel knew firsthand what it was like to be young and dealing with cancer treatment. The fact is that in Costa Rica, many hospitals don’t have a sole focus on children or pediatrics like many hospitals in America.
Children naturally have a brighter, more positive outlook on life. They want to play and enjoy life. When rooming with older cancer patients, many who have a great deal of negativity, it affects the children.
“When a young girl in Costa Rica was interviewed for a news story, she said how awful it was to be a cancer patient in a hospital where she shares a room with two older patients,” reported Noah Kujawski. “She said that she hasn’t valued her life because she can’t listen to music or watch TV due to her elder roommates’ disapproval.”
In Daniel’s memory, his parents Bernardo and Ligia created the charity Proyecto Daniel in honor of him and his wish of having a youth patient hospital.
When the Victor IB class of 2013 was presented with the opportunity to support this charity, they were touched and decided that they would be selling orange bracelets made in and sent from Costa Rica. The IB Class is also asking for donations, which will gradually lead to the selling of t-shirts. The goal is to raise $20,000- the cost of a single remodeled room for a youth cancer patient.
“Most Victor kids have nothing more to worry about than trivial little things,” said junior Jordan Balls on behalf of the patients the IB Class of 2013 is supporting. “We get all wound up. But these kids are actually dealing with problems.”
Living with cancer as a kid isn’t easy, and it becomes even more difficult to deal with when one is uncomfortable or feels out of place.
Those interested in helping out may buy a bracelet through any IB diploma candidate, or pledge any amount of money as a donation.
— Marlena Ahearn is the editor of the Victor Voice and an 11th grade student in Mrs. Przybysz’ journalism class.
