By Zafira Gilani
When I first joined Footprints at the beginning of the fall semester, I was intimidated by all that the organization had to offer in and out of the hospital. As I went to more events and talked to different members, I was happy to know that I finally found a community of people who were as passionate about helping kids as I was. Taking a day out of my week to volunteer on Unit 42 was easily one of the highlights of this semester. Not only did it brighten the days of many patients and families who had to stay at the hospital for weeks on end, it also gave me a much needed break from the monotony of my academic routine. Having the opportunity to participate in various community activities outside of the hospital was also incredibly gratifying. Activities such as raising money for the children at Shands through bake sales and volunteering at UF’s annual Cancer Chomp allowed me to bond with various members of Footprints all while having a direct impact on the local community. Throughout this semester, I was happy to see how much I learned from the kids whether it was a new card game or how to face challenges head on with strength. As a volunteer, my job is to help the patients gain a sense of normalcy in the midst of one of the toughest times of their lives and I’m so grateful to be able to do that for them, even if it’s for a couple of hours each week.
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