Promoting Reading Interest among Hospitalized Children with Cancer: Sharing Experience of Society Advancement of Children Literature's Bibliotherapy Program in a Public Hospital

Abstract

This paper attempts to explore the practice of bibliotherapy program carried out by a non government organization, SACL (Society Advancement of Children Literature), in providing bibliotherapy program for children with cancer in a large public hospital at Rumah Sakit Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSCM). Children with cancer usually stay long in hospital to receive intensive medical treatment. SACL, is an organization which concerns with promoting reading interest started the program in 1993. Children who are sick have the same opportunity to enjoy reading as much right as the healthy children do that is the philosophy of the program. Unlike healthy children, children with cancer usually have physical limitation to access to reading materials and library. A case study approach used to gather data relating to this program. The discussion covers on how SACL organize the program routinely every Saturday for 24 years and special needs of children with cancer to enjoy reading books. The significance of the study gives insight to others about the best practice of Non Governmental Organization (NGO) at community level in providing a service for hospitalized children with cancer.