Diary of Courage – All of Switzerland

A special diary for sick children as a tool to document their personal experiences in hospitals and to give them courage. Every year, several thousand chronically and seriously ill children are treated in Swiss hospitals.

The idea of the “Diary of Courage” was developed in the Care Unit at the University Children’s Hospital in Zurich.

In the course of examinations and therapies, chronically and seriously ill children often have to endure multiple examinations that can trigger fear and can be emotionally stressful and cause pain. The stay in the hospital, many unfamiliar faces and unpleasant procedures can scare children.

The aim of the “Diary of Courage” is to give children (3-12 years) a better insight into the routine of their treatments to reduce fear, to increase courage and to reward them for their bravery. Thanks to the diary, the various procedures become easier to understand, not only for the children but also for the parents. With this guideline the families can be better prepared for upcoming procedures. Examinations such as blood tests, X-rays, ultrasound, ECG, MRI, etc. are explained in a child-friendly way with pictures and informative texts.

The “Diary of Courage” is then filled with the children’s personal medical history, stickers and drawings. Funny comics serve as loving little distractions. The free of charge 90-page hardcover book will soon be translated into French, Italian and possibly English.

This is our second collaboration with the University Children’s Hospital Zurich, please help us realize this unique nationwide publication project.