Coffee for moms. This is how they recharge parents' batteries at the Wrocław children's hospital

photo: Na Ratunek Dzieciom z Chorobą Nowotworową Foundation

Can you imagine what a parent feels when they have to dedicate all their time, energy, and strength to a little, most important person in the world? Moms at the Przylądek Nadziei USK children`s oncology clinic in Wrocław do this literally every single day. EVERY DAY. Because they are SUPERmoms.

How many such mothers are there? Every day, there are about seventy children and teenagers staying at the clinic. Over the course of a year, more than two thousand pass through Przylądek Nadziei. Each accompanied by a caregiver. Most often, it`s the mom, for whom the hospital also becomes a second home for long weeks. However, it does not replace a real home at all, and such a daily reality is incredibly taxing. Mentally, emotionally, and physically.

- A child spends long months in an oncology hospital. The parent who stays by their side the whole time is torn by extreme emotions. It is constant stress, a crisis situation, uncertainty, exhaustion, and the lack of their own space, a quiet area - lists Anna Szymańska from the Na Ratunek Dzieciom z Chorobą Nowotworową Foundation (Foundation for Helping Children with Cancer). - Staying with a child in the hospital is like being on guard duty all the time, in standby mode. This can extremely exhaust and burn a person out.


That is why the Na Ratunek Dzieciom z Chorobą Nowotworową Foundation has announced the COFFEE FOR MOMS campaign since July. It is an energetic and cheerful project aimed at giving moms strength, recharging their energy, and treating them to... a moment for themselves. A bit of a breather, a moment of pleasure. Simply put: GOOD COFFEE.

Anyone can join the project. The principle is simple. Just visit the website https://naratunek.org/kawa and contribute any amount to the fundraiser that has been running since the beginning of July. With the money raised, the foundation buys high-quality beans and invites moms throughout the day to a cozy room where a foundation worker serves them espresso, latte, cappuccino, coffee with milk, or a classic black coffee. They will give them their full attention, find time for a chat, and listen. Sometimes, they will just share a quiet moment together.

Recharging batteries? Yes, it helps!

Right now, it feels a bit like a cozy but professional café here. A professional, café-grade espresso machine, donated by the catering equipment distributor Primulator, has been set up in the foundation`s room on the ground floor of Przylądek Nadziei. You can come by at any time, even several times a day. There are no limits, there is enough for everyone, and the price is just a smile of gratitude and a moment of peace. A currency that is needed in any quantity in a hospital.

On the surface, this might look like a minor gesture. However, psychological studies published in renowned medical journals, such as the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, Stress and Health, or the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, show something completely different.

• The opportunity to drink good coffee, talk to other parents or volunteers, and experience simple kindness can serve as an important, supportive signal: "you are not alone in this situation".
• This, in turn, fosters hope, a sense of community, and better coping mechanisms for dealing with the daily challenges related to a child`s illness.
• Even short moments of rest and recovery during the day help lower stress levels, support emotional regulation, and increase mental resilience.
• They function as so-called micro-regeneration, allowing the caregiver to return to the child with more patience, mindfulness, and the ability to make right decisions.

Hospital practice confirms these scientific theories every single day. From the very beginning, dozens of moms a day have been using the opportunity to drink a cup of coffee in the company of other parents and foundation staff. If needed, they can also enjoy it in solitude by going out for a short walk to the nearby park, while a volunteer looks after their child.


- Going out for coffee like this is a very nice moment in the day. We can catch our breath for a moment, talk about things other than our child`s illness - says Dagmara Bawarczyk, mother of five-year-old Laura, in a video posted on the foundation`s website.

- We can gather our strength and take a break from the daily and very exhausting care of our children - adds Justyna Bożek, mother of 11-year-old Tytus. - To be able to give one hundred percent of ourselves, we need a short break.

This is also confirmed by the clinic`s staff and psychologists working with parents and children at Przylądek Nadziei. A caregiver who has the opportunity for even a brief recovery handles stress more effectively and can provide more stable support to the child.

A smiling parent means a smiling child. In the hospital too

It turns out that a moment of respite for parents in the hospital holds real therapeutic value for the young patient.

- When we take care of the parent, the mom and dad who are by the child`s side every day in the hospital, the child will be happier too - explains Anna Szymańska. - In a hospital, like nowhere else, we need parents who will be a stable support for the child in every situation. When a child is scared, in pain, or simply feeling down, the parent is the person who sends the signal: I am here with you, you are not alone.

And to send that signal continuously, they must have energy. The foundation therefore invites everyone to join the initiative. Anyone can sponsor a coffee for moms. Every amount counts, even a small one. Because even a single coffee can make someone`s day better. In the hospital too.
You can sponsor a coffee for moms from Przylądek Nadziei here:
https://naratunek.org/kawa