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| The ICare staff |
by Susan Palmes-Dennis
God has already given many blessings to a young couple and they want to make it grow by sharing their blessings to others.
This in essence is why Renato Tangonan and his wife, lawyer Isah Echem –Tangonan opened iCare (an intervention center for autism and related exceptionalities) in Cagayan de Oro a year ago.
In one year much had happened and much help was extended. In line with their one-year-anniversary, over 100 special kids and visitors watched the movie “Adventures of Zambezia” recently at the SM Cinema in SM City Cagayan de Oro.
The sensory friendly movie was organized by iCARE in partnership with SM City Cagayan de Oro and is the first of its kind in Cagayan de Oro, intended for children with special needs.
Isah Echem Tangonan said the movie was a story of Kai, a naïve, but high-spirited young falcon who travels to the bird city of "Zambezia" where he discovers the truth about his origins and, in defending the city, learns how to be part of a community.
Aside from the special kids of iCare, other attendees were students of the City Central School and West City Central School Special Education Class and other kids from different therapy centers in the city.
“I was delighted to see kids accompanied by family members and caregivers lined up and watched the movie,” Tangonan added as she thanked SM City Cagayan de Oro for being a partner in this worthy endeavor.
“A chance to experience seeing a film on the big screen in a safe and accepting environment” was a treat to many, she said.
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| Official invitation |
The certificate was received by SM City Cagayan de Oro’s Mall Manager Clara Elizaga, Asst. Mall Manager Constantine Arce and their public relations manager Ivy Guantero.
The activity was a success as the special kids were allowed to talk, walk around, dance, sing, or shout, as they please without being judged. Congratulations.
iCare is the first therapy center for special children in Cagayan de Oro that uses scientific procedures based on the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) method as the foundation of intervention.
The ABA method of therapy uses operant and classical conditioning that modifies human behaviors, especially as part of a learning or treatment process. Today, the ABA is widely recognized as a safe and effective treatment for autism.
It has been endorsed by a number of developmental pediatricians and childcare practitioners in the US, Europe, Middle East and in the Philippines.
Renato Tangonan is an ABA specialist for over a decade now and trained in ABA at the Florida Institute of Technology, saw the need for ABA to be introduced in Cagayan de Oro City.
I recall having written about this center a year ago as an answer to a need that special kids need most. Every now and then I can post about the center's success at a Facebook thread and honestly I am happy about it.
Now that I am working in one of the biggest school systems here at the Carolinas and there are times that I am assigned to a class of kids with learning deficiencies.
I always look forward to being assigned to these students especially in high school because a part of me is fulfilled doing something to help them.
It is just rewarding. I see how the teacher and the assistants take care of the students not only in their academics requirements but also their needs as children.
In fact at the end of the class I joined the staff in bringing them to the bus and wave my hands and I am just sentimental because a tear or two would fall from my eyes.
That is why I followed this story about the iCare of Renato and Isah and I hoped that they continue to bring blessings to the students and parents as well.
That the end goal would be towards making these kids productive and be responsible citizens in the future. Cheers to them for their one-year-anniversary and may they continue to care and be a blessing to others.
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| Saying it with food |
(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.
Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)
