Impulso » Children

Latino Artists Escort Young Cancer Patients Down Runway

Noraly — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:00:24 +0000

Latino Artists Escort Young Cancer Patients Down Runway

Actress Eva Longoria-Parker hosted the 9th Annual El Sueño de Esperanza gala on September 10 at the Hollywood Palladium, a gathering that drew many celebrities dedicated to supporting efforts by the Parents Against Cancer organization, which aims to help children with cancer as well as efforts to find a cure for the disease.

George Lopez

Longoria-Parker joined comedian George Lopez in bringing children and their parents some laughs, too, allowing them to forget their health problems for a few moments.

The list of other stars who took part in the event included, among others: Paulina Rubio, Kate del Castillo, Dayanara Torres, María Conchita Alonso, Kuno Becker, Beto Cuevas, and Amaury Nolasco.

Parents Against Cancer — or Padres Contra Cancer, in Spanish — provides financial support for programs that bring children, families, medical personnel and community leaders together to promote greater understanding of childhood cancer and blood diseases, as well as the most effective methods for their treatment.

Maribel de la Torre, the organization’s director of development, said that the efforts include a series of culturally relevant bilingual resources that are centered on the family, addressing the challenges of cancer on an educational, emotional and social basis.

Paulina Rubio and the children on the red carpet

“But all the programs, activities and services, though they are geared to the Latino community, serve patients with childhood cancer of all races and ethnic origins,” said De la Torre. “No family is refused.”

Rubio obviously fell for the charm of some of the children who walked down the red carpet with her before the gala.

“I have had the opportunity of meeting great kids on the red carpet…of very many ages and that has made me understand how nice it is to help and to be a part of your community,” said the Golden Girl.

Longoria-Parker welcomed the guests and thanked them for their support, understanding, and participation.

Kate Del Castillo

“For the good of my people, my community and my universe, I am here supporting in any way I can, and asking here, asking there and always counting on friends to offer hope to our beautiful children, to tell them that it can be done, and that research will continue for the cure of this and many diseases,” she said. “Parents against Cancer is in my heart.”

Mexican actress Kate del Castillo said she found happiness in being able to contribute to the effort.

“What brings me here is the desire to work hard, to support this cause like we are doing tonight,” del Castillo said. “So I am very happy” to be here.

Nora Alicia Estrada is a writer for Impulso.

Photos by Impulso

A New Place to Be a Kid in East L.A.

molivera — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:00:16 +0000

Silvia Quevedo and her son, Josua Argeta, who is a student at the newly opened Gloria Molina Child Development Center in East Los Angeles.

Silvia Quevedo was surprised when she walked through the newly opened Gloria Molina Child Development Center in East Los Angeles — and not just because the woman whose name in on the facility was there to greet visitors.

“I’m so surprised, because I have never seen such a center, and I like it very much here,” said Quevedo, who attended the August 1 dedication ceremony with her son, 3-year-old Josua Argeta, who will is enrolled at the center. “I’m very happy because my son will come here.”

Para Los Niños program has opened a child development center in East Los Angeles, California, with the facility named for Gloria Molina.

Quevedo’s son recently started attending the center daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The place is operated by non-profit social service provider Para Los Niños as a place where working parents can count on quality childcare — at no charge. The facility features age-appropriate furnishings and educational lessons as well as organic food and free medical services.

Molina has long served East Los Angeles as a community activist, Los Angeles City Councilmember, and now as the 1st District representative on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. She told the crowd gathered for the opening of the facility that’s named in her honor that the community has come a long way.

“I am very proud,” Molina said. “We didn’t have the opportunity of education that we have now, with everything they have here for the children of East Los Angeles, who deserve the best of the best.”

Molina noted that facilities such as those operated by Para Los Niños provide help for hard-pressed families when both parents must work each day.

The children will have a safe, nurturing place within their community.

“That’s why this place is so necessary, so that the children learn everything they need to learn before going to kindergarten, but not only that, so that the parents have somewhere to turn when they need help, too,” said Molina.

Quevedo said the new center is crucial to her and her son. She said that she leaves her home at 5:30 a.m. to get to her janitorial job by 7:00 a.m. She works a full day, and faces a long commute back to East Los Angeles each evening.

“Thank God there are these types of centers, because they benefit us parents who work eight hours,” Quevedo said. “I used to pay $100 a week for childcare, and this is going to help me a lot because I won’t have to pay that anymore.”

The actor Wilmer Valderrama and the Los Angeles County Supervisor 1st District Supervisor Gloria Molina signed a mural.

Famed actor Wilmer Valderrama joined Para Los Ninos President and Executive Director Gisselle Acevedo in welcoming Molina and the families to the opening ceremony.

“Gloria is a great community leader and a visionary,” said Acevedo, who invited parents to bring their children to the center and to tell their friends about the program.

At the end of the event, the children printed their little painted hands on a mural and toured the new children’s center with their parents. The Gloria Molina Child Development Center is located at 4824 E. Civic Center Way in East Los Angeles. For more information, call (323) 796-0125 ext. 221.

Mireya Olivera is editor of Impulso.

Photos by Impulso

Recession Watch: What a Tight Economy Can Mean for Kids

admin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 07:00:51 +0000

Children can feel tensions between parents...

The anxiety caused by the prolonged economic crisis takes a toll on family relationships in many households and children stand to be the most affected, according to a recent caution from by a specialist in child development and family welfare.

“Families that are going through financial challenges tend to face a number of events that irreparably and negatively impact children,” noted Doctor Lenna Ontai of the University of California Davis, in a recent interview.

Ontai said that the emotional welfare of children often worsens as their parents’ relationships deteriorate, as is happening in many families as a consequence of the economic instability that has raised the unemployment rate throughout the country.

Doctor Lenna Ontai of the University of California Davis

“When parents start arguing and show hostility toward each other, those arguments also irreparably harm the relationship each of them has with their children,” Ontai said.

The social impact from the chaos in family relationships is often serious.

“We start to see more violence, drug addiction, alcoholism, more dangerous behaviors — and all those things are later reflected in children,” said Ontai.

Medical professionals have a some prior experience to tap into as they attempt to discern what’s going on with families in today’s recession, Ontai said. She pointed to a trend detected among a large number of families due 30 years ago when the so-called “Farm Crisis” wreaked economic havoc in agricultural areas of the U.S.

Valuable lessons came from that crisis, including clear indicators that economic adversity is best overcome through family unity.

“In the studies carried out in the last 30 years, it has been proven that the best way in which a family can really overcome a crisis is basically going in together and working as a team,” Ontai said. “The adults in the home should focus on maintaining a positive relationship between them, no matter if there is money or not.”

Ontai advised any parents facing economic strains to analyze their financial problems and seek realistic solutions with as much optimism as possible.

“We should understand that we’re going through pretty stressful times, and that we have to work together to get through them,” she said. “That, in itself, has a great protective effect on children.”

Ontai said that family cohesion helps to prove that money is not indispensable for obtaining happiness.

“The families that understand that, that can find ways to have fun with their children without spending money, are families that will come out of the economic crisis better,” she added. “Take advantage of recreational activities that don’t cost money and do them with the family — that is very important.”

Spending time together with family is much more important for children’s well-being, Ontai said, because it can provide the sort of emotional support they need from their parents.

“The most important thing that parents can give their children is their time; walking together, riding a bicycle or playing ball for 10-15 minutes. Any of these pastimes really help the child and the whole family in difficult times,” Ontai maintains.

Adults may benefit the most of that time shared with the family are recreational activities that involve physical activity, according to Ontai. She said that individuals and families who regularly practice a physical activity tend to enjoy better physical and mental health, which in turn helps them to be better prepared to find solutions for all types of problems.

“Therefore, breath deeply, learn to relax, and you will find that you can face difficult times in a more positive way.”

Alberto Hauffen is a writer for Impulso.

Photo of Dr. Ontai by Impulso; photo for story collage from Wikimedia Commons