The First Steps – The very first Winners’ Day of Hungary
In 2018, with the cooperation of our partners, we organized the first integrated sporting event in Hungary, where children who had successfully overcome cancer could compete side by side in the same team with their healthy, mobility-impaired, and disadvantaged peers in various individual and team sports.
Following the national success of 2018, we held a second event in 2019, the II. Winners’ Day, where families from across the country joined Hungary’s top athletes for an unforgettable sporting experience.
COVID-19 Pandemic – The Beginning of a New Chapter
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we made the difficult decision to postpone the event to protect the health of the participating children. Unfortunately, the same decision had to be made again in 2021.
The recurring restrictions, hospital visitation bans, distancing rules, mask mandates, frequent testing requirements, and the decline in trust toward in-person programs significantly reduced the number of participants who had previously shown interest, from all the different sides: children, parents, hospital staff, and volunteers alike.
During this period, together with our volunteers, we continuously monitored national and international health regulations, and in 2022, in consultation with our partners, we temporarily suspended the organization of the Winners’ Day.
The Healing Power of Culture – “Wanderers”
After our first sports event in 2018, our Association introduced a new cultural-therapy program, the first time in our country, with great success in hospitals and healthcare institutions.
Through this program, we invite children recovering in hospitals together with their parents and therapists on an interactive, virtual journey.
Since the first session, our “Wanderers” program has been presented in numerous institutions across the country to the great delight of children, parents, nurses, and doctors.
With the help of “Wanderers,” many Hungarian children and families have “visited” Norway’s magical fjords, Russia’s snowy landscapes, Japan’s unique streets, and Turkey’s vibrant bazaars.
This program trasnforms hopsital stays into virtual journeys across cultures and nations, where children discovering languages, traditions, and stories regain curiosity, hope for a global, inclusive future, and the courage to dream beyond illness.
Together with numerous national and international partners, we continue working to bring unique, uplifting programs into hospitals across Hungary to support children during recovery.