What does it mean to be siblings
Campers' brothers and sisters can also have fun at Dynamo, with their parents or in dedicated sessions. An opportunity to meet other young people who, like them, live with a family illness and start to see everything from another perspective.
«When I found out that my brother would also be coming to Dynamo for the Siblings sessions, I got a little angry. I always considered the Camp a consolation prize for what life took away from me, being in the hospital for so long, not being able to see friends, or what the world is like. I thought my brother had no right to it, as this is a place dedicated to those who have only had lemons squeezed in their faces by life. Then, however, I understood that it is right for others to experience it too, so that they understand what Dynamo is and what real fun is. It's like a gift that Dynamo gives to our siblings, who perhaps worried about us when we were in the hospital...».
Gabriele, a teenage camper, expresses with disarming authenticity the meaning of Dynamo's Siblings sessions, which welcome the healthy brothers and sisters of campers. When family life is completely altered by a child's illness, siblings also suffer, often seeing their needs neglected and being forced into difficult adaptations. This is a complex emotional experience, characterized by fluctuations and sometimes even conflicts, compounded by the intertwining of feelings towards the sibling, who can be the object of jealousy and anger or love and concern, even alternately. Thus, the Siblings sessions also offer these young people the opportunity to reclaim their childhood, or adolescence, in a protected and fun environment, in addition to the opportunity to share a carefree week with other peers who are experiencing the same situation.
Simona, a twenty-year-old medical student living in Barletta, spent a week at the Campus in April, as a Sibling, with her parents and brother, Francesco. «The first day I was a bit disoriented,» she confesses. «Then, however, I started talking, relating, sharing and I felt more and more at ease. If at first I couldn't even get up to dance, by the end of the week I didn't miss a single song. I felt welcomed by everyone.» Simona explains with frankness and a little emotion what it means to be a Sibling in everyday life: «I suffered a lot from loneliness: first of all, in my city we don't know anyone who lives in our same condition; moreover, I don't talk about my brother's illness with friends and I avoid posting videos or photos with him so as not to have to answer uncomfortable questions. Even now I can't talk about him without crying. At Dynamo, however, I suddenly found myself among families who shared our same difficulties, and this gave me a lot of strength to face life. I met other girls, with whom I am still in contact: I discovered that they also feel as lonely as I do and can't talk about it. With one in particular I shared the most intimate feelings, such as the fear of moving away from home, even just to go to university, which for us Siblings means depriving the family of help. Dynamo allowed me to see everything from another perspective, to understand that I am not just "Francesco's sister," but Simona. On the other hand, it was nice to see him integrate with others, he who normally only stays with us. He didn't want to go home anymore! And I also returned joyful, full of energy, with the feeling of being able to conquer the world. I thank Francesco because if I am like this today I owe it to him: his difficulties strengthened me. I hope to become a volunteer at Dynamo, I would really like to support the staff, especially in the Siblings sessions.»
Angelina, a 13-year-old from Milan, is also a Sibling, who experienced the Campus in the Family program through dancing and climbing. "We usually don't hang out with people who share our condition, so I always thought I was 'the only one.' I thought, therefore, that I would be alone at Dynamo too," she reveals. "However, I never imagined that during this experience, I would meet the person who became my best friend, with whom I could share confidences and a lot of fun. Even today, just listening to a song from Dynamo brings back the same emotions. My brother, Ugo, also had a great time, he seemed over the moon!" Daniela, Angelina's mother, recounts: "At one point, with the other parents, we asked ourselves: why are they giving us this magical week? We understood the answer at the end of the experience: to make us understand that we can overcome the psychological barrier that the world imposes on you. Here you are surrounded by smiles and you can trust. Thinking that we can return already gives us goosebumps."
Siblings can also enjoy Recreational Therapy outside the Campus. Thanks to an agreement with Triennale Milano, for example, the Dynamo staff brought its activities to the Lombard capital, in a dedicated space set up inside the Palazzo dell'Arte to carry out Dynamo Art Factory, Radio Dynamo, Dynamo Musical, Dynamo Studios programs, small circus activities and YouTubing, offered free of charge not only to children and young people with serious and chronic illnesses, but also inclusively to their brothers and sisters. Daily activities started in May, but from June to August, weekly City Camps are also organized. From the space in Triennale Milano, the Dynamo staff also transmits online programs for children with serious illnesses hosted in hospitals and foster homes.
Source: DYBC MAGAZINE
