PORTLAND - His medically-fragile friend can’t respond, but third grader Aidan O’Scannlain reads proudly from his brightly colored book.
He and his classmates know the sound of a voice or the touch of a hand can be enough to let someone know a friend is there. They are learning this at the Providence Center for Medically Fragile Children in Northeast Portland.
“It’s kind of scary at first but then you get used to it and it’s really fun,” explained Aidan.
“Can you teach compassion? Yes. Can you teach it to an adult – probably not,” said Providence child psychiatrist Dr. Jessica Hitchcock.
Aidan’s Cathedral School is one of five schools participating in the Friend to Friend program.
In 12 years 2,600 kids have made weekly or monthly visits to the more than 50 children living at the center. They are learning lessons that can’t be duplicated in the classroom.
“I think they’re learning to care more for each other. When we leave Providence and return to our classroom I see them reaching out to other third graders more,” said Cathedral teacher Bobbi Bradley-Omo.
Another benefit of the interaction – students develop a sense of caring for years to come. “I fostered in third grade but then I was able to keep going back and really got to know them,” said Jesuit High School Senior Amy Tennant.
“It’s not always easy to see people who are suffering but I think it’s important for kids to learn that there’s a need for their time to make other people feel better,” concluded Dr. Hitchcock.
Aidan left knowing he made many kids feel better after a recent visit.
“I know I’m making them happy because they only get to have a friend here about six times a month. I see my friends five times a week and that’s a lot more than the kids here,” he said.
