Like everyone else, this has not been the year we expected and planned for. We sorely missed our Fridays at PGH with our Parent Support Group and Teen Barkada. We’ve been facing a time of grief, radical change, and uncertainty about the future. But, it is in times of adversity that hope becomes even more alive. Circle of Hope believes that genuine hope is ignited by compassion and interconnection. In response to the pandemic, we redirected our efforts to providing online mental and wellbeing services through these programs:
- Kinaiya Learning Enrichment Program for PGH Teen Cancer Patients
- Self-Compassion Break for Healthcare Workers
- Inner Resilience Training for Healthcare Workers
- Mind Yourself Summit (Mindfulness and Resilience Summit for the General Public)
- Minding Ourselves (Mindfulness and Compassion Program for PGH Pediatric Fellows and Residents)
- Hingalangin (Weekly Mindfulness Practice Community in Filipino)
- Mindful Mondays (Weekly Mindfulness Practice Community in English)
In view of the challenging times ahead, we will strive even harder to fulfill our mission of making scientifically-informed mental health and wellbeing resources accessible to all communities, especially those who experience marginalization. Hope and wellbeing go hand-in-hand. Hope is not magic. Our capacity to be steadfast in our hope depends on our skillfulness in managing our inner response to suffering. We nurture hope by practicing kindness to ourselves in moments of difficulty (Loob), by opening our hearts to our fellow human beings amid our differences (Kapwa), and seeing how we are truly one human family (Diwa).
As the Year 2020 closes with this Season of Hope, we bring all of our endeavors as an offering to this Sacred Feast. May it be blessed and made whole. We are in very deep gratitude for all of you who have become part of our initiatives this year—we all have a place in this, our Circle of Hope. Wishing everyone a hopeful and heartful holiday season.