By Cynthia Wang

Leukemia Hospital is, in senior Jason Kang’s words, “a pretty lowkey club.” With biweekly visits to Shanghai’s Xinhua Hospital, members of Leukemia Hospital take an hour and a half off from their Sunday afternoons to spend some time with the children diagnosed with leukemia there.

One of SAS Pudong’s many service clubs, Leukemia Hospital has been around for approximately 6 years. Kang gave us a general outline of what would happen during each hospital visit.

“[Gabrielle Zhu] is in charge of letting the hospital know beforehand,” Jason says. “Otherwise, we just try to get as many people to go. Then, we go to the available rooms in the hospital to play with the kids for a while.”

Members of the club employ several different methods of entertainment to engage with the children. “We bring coloring books, toys, and sometimes music to brighten up their days.”

Not only do the children have an hour and a half of fun in an otherwise bland hospital environment, but Leukemia Hospital members also walk away with mementos of their own.

Kang attests to this statement. “It’s really heartwarming too,” he says. “On my first hospital visit, a kid folded a paper crane for me. I still have it on my desk.”

Although only around 2 to 5 people go to each visit, Kang asserts that the club’s modesty is one of his favorite things about it.

“It’s not overcomplicated and we just get to spend time with the kids,” Kang says.

If you would like to join Leukemia Hospital members in their next hospital visit, contact Kang or junior Gabrielle Zhu for more information.