Today we started out with a lecture on female genital mutilation. This doesn’t sound like a nice topic and it’s not pleasant to talk about, but it’s important to be aware that this does happen. It happens in 31 countries across Africa and some countries in the Middle East and Asia. This has affected 230 million girls and women alive today. There’s 4 million girls and women at risk annually. Female genital mutilation or FGM is the procedure that involves partial or total removal of the external genitalia, or other injury to female genital organs for non medical reasons. This happens because of tradition, it can be seen as a rite of passage. No religion supports this, however individuals can believe it fulfills their religious requirements. Some cultures believe it cleanses, purifies, and upholds virginity. This practice however is a complete violation of women that causes numerous physical and psychological problems. As an educator I may come across a student who has experienced this even though it’s illegal in the US. If a student does open up about an experience with FGM then it’s important to not act shocked. Provide a safe place and offer resources such as a specialist, interpreters, and or therapy. This is a difficult subject to talk about, but with awareness there’s hope that it can be eliminated entirely. The UNFPA-UNICEF Joint program has a goal for it to be eliminated by 2030, which is a hefty goal, but it is better to set your goals high. Then even if you don’t achieve it and fall short you will still go far. After the lecture we took the bus to the children’s hospital to go to the cancer ward. This is another heavy topic. 

The Birmingham Children’s Hospital is not quite what I expected. It does not look like a typical modern hospital and this is because it was founded in 1862. It is a red brick building that is really beautiful. Even inside is more whimsical than a normal hospital, there are colorful walls and murals, pictures on the windows, and other design choices that make it feel just a bit better. The staff there were lovely people, they were nice and eloquently spoken. We toured around the hospital and got to see various rooms. We went into the school room, which appears like a somewhat regular classroom, but is making such a difference for so many children. By law they need to provide children with access to education, but many children are too critical to leave the hospital. They also have a movie theater, which looks like a regular movie theater where children can go see the latest movies and have snacks without leaving the hospital. They even have areas for beds for children who are not able to get up. We went into the chapel which brought most of us to tears. There were prayers written down, I don’t remember exactly what one said, but it was something like please let our child make any little improvement. This made me cry, because they were not asking for their child to be healed or to be able to leave the hospital, all they were asking for was something. Any bit of improvement, their belief in any more than that was shattered. 

We also visited the Magnolia house, which was created through donations. This house is a part of the hospital, but you do have to walk outside to get there. It looks like a completely regular house inside and has natural light and open space. It’s beautifully decorated and curated to have a peaceful environment. This house is used for patients who are not going to make it. The staff will tell them that their child is going to die. There is a room where families can spend their last few hours with their loved ones, holding onto them until they pass away. It is a terrible thing that no parent should have to go through, however parents do, and this hospital is helping it be just a little bit better. As an educator I will likely have children who are sick or experiencing grief in some way. Teachers are a stable figure in a child’s life, they can provide comfort and security. I can teach my future students about grief and how to cope with it. I can support and modify materials to help students be able to do what they are able to do whether they are struggling mentally or physically. As a teacher it will be painful to watch my own students go through things that are beyond unfair, but I will have the ability to possibly make their experience just a bit better.