Meet the new Child Life Specialist at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana – Bernice Ali

Written by Madison Hamblin

‘They see me as an educator, but it goes way beyond that’

Between April and May 2023, World Child Cancer supported Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) with recruiting the first Child Life Specialist at the facility. Ms Bernice Ali was shortlisted and has been in post since.

What does a day in the life of a child life specialist look like?

The role of a Child Life Specialist includes using therapeutic techniques to help children understand their condition and treatment. Working on the ward and day care unit, a Child Life Specialist works alongside the family to help them cope better with the challenges of hospitalisation and illness.

Bernice’s day is full of fun activities such as reading, colouring, puzzles. This is to put the children at ease, while helping them understand their treatment. ‘It is not easy when a child is going through this stage…. The hospital can be a scary environment with machines and medication’.

Photo:  Bernice reading a story to one of the children she supports

Bernice uses Xploro (an augmented reality app). Xploro familiarises the children with the hospital setting, healthcare staff, while educating them with fun games to learn more about their health. They learn the type of machines they will encounter and the sounds it will make. ‘Xploro creates familiarity, with this fear and anxiety have already been reduced’.

Bernice’s favorite activity with the children is storytelling. ‘The children love the ones with big words and big pictures, they can use their imagination and the pictures help them understand what you’re trying to say’. Through her work Bernice feels that storytelling helps the children open up the most.

What challenges did Bernice encounter and how did she overcome them?

When Bernice first came into the hospital, she had to create familiarity with the children to help them open up, ‘it’s not easy for these children to understand why they’re in hospital’. ‘The more you interact with them with activities the more they connect with you…. Storytelling helped the most’.

‘They were happy to see me and happy for me to do something with them.’

What are Bernice’s favorite things about being a Child Life Specialist?

‘You make a connection with them, when they are better and get discharged – this is very rewarding for me’. Although Bernice described that she is happy when they are better, she misses the relationship she has created with them.

When reflecting on Bernice’s role in the lives of those children she describes herself as a friendly presence but also an educator ‘I help them with Xploro activities, maths homework; they see me as an educator, but it goes way beyond that’.

Why is it so important children understand their treatment?

This is vital to the reduction of fear and anxiety. ‘Although they might still get upset and cry, we have created familiarity, so they know what to expect’ – that alone has a big impact.

One child Bernice was helping always cried when nurses tried to do an Intravenous Therapy (IV), so she showed him Xploro, this familiarity reduced his fear, and he understood that the purpose of the IV was to help him.

Bernice helped another girl who hated coming to the hospital due to all the medicines and machines. Bernice combated this with regular interaction and activities which made her lose the fear of coming to the hospital- transforming scary hospital days to one of fun and joy.

Why is it so important to include family in the process? 

‘Family is the first point of contact for the child’, the most familiar person for the child and who they are most comfortable with. ‘There are instances when you can’t connect with the child…the family is the bridge here’.

The difficulties of childhood cancer are multilayered, not only does it have an impact on the child’s mental and physical well-being, but also has a financial and emotional effect on the family.

How has World Child Cancer further assisted Bernice?

World Child Cancer, in collaboration with KATH, helped to facilitate induction for Bernice to support her in her role. In particular, World Child Cancer supported Bernice to attend a two-week in-person observation training at the Pediatric Oncology Unit of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra. There, Bernice had the chance to gain practical knowledge under the experienced supervision of Ms Augusta Asiedu-Lartey, who is the first Child Life Specialist in Ghana since 2019.

During Bernice’s observation period she gained more insight/learned more about how Augusta prepares the children for different procedures and how to distract them. In the treatment room Bernice found the best way to do this was storytelling or playing music.

The support that World Child Cancer provides is part of a three-year UK Aid Match project that World Child Cancer started implementing in April 2023. 

Want to read more?

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