YMCA Children Create Book for Children at CHOC Hospital in Honor of Cancer Awareness Month

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - Oct. 1, 2014 - PRLog -- In the U.S., 15,780 children under the age of 21 are diagnosed with cancer every year and approximately 1/4 of them will not survive the disease. The YMCA of Orange County understands the importance of raising awareness for childhood cancer and started a service learning project this summer to help support, advocate and educate youth about the cause.

During the summer, children that attended the YMCA of Orange County’s summer camp program were asked to participate in a service learning project with the intent to lighten the day of children attending Children’s Hospital of Orange County – CHOC. Campers brainstormed, researched, and told jokes that they already knew in order to create a book of jokes, pictures, and silly stories that would be delivered to CHOC in the month of September. The joke books would be available in lobbies and recovery rooms for parents and children to enjoy. The project was called “Smile, Pass it On”.

The YMCA of Orange County believes that service learning and character development activities are an integral part of their youth programs and afterschool curriculum. Service learning provides a holistic learning and community engagement experience and supports the development of substantive knowledge, critical thinking and leadership skills, positive character traits, and community involvement.

“This project was a great way for our youth to learn about the cause they are addressing and what efforts are being taken locally and nationally to assist. It’s also the YMCA’s hope that this book will alleviate stress and create bright spots in the lives of the children at CHOC and put a smile on the face of the people reading the book,” says Sean Phillips, Childcare Director of Operations at the YMCA.

For more information about Smile, Pass it On, visit www.ymcaoc.org/smile. To learn more about the YMCA of Orange County and their service learning projects, visit www.ymcaoc.org/service-learning.