Future paramedics have proved themselves to be hardy – and have also contributed financially to the early care

A group of students of the FHSS USB who are preparing to become paramedics bravely and generously joined the campaign of the Society for Early Care on Wednesday, December 1. Its aim is to support early care services and families who care for children with disabilities. The first, and very significant, event was “Don't be a wuss! Get wet for early care", which involved immersing oneself in cold water in seven places in the country - in České Budějovice this took place at Malý jez. Almost twenty students of the FHSS USB also entered the Malše river. This was the idea of the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs of the FHSS USB Mgr. Ondřej Doskočil, Th.D. Doskočil, who explains: "When I read the appeal, I thought of handing it over to paramedics, because they are more used to diving into cold water. They were quite enthusiastic. Those who came were not only experienced hardy people, but also students entering a winter river for the first time." The Vice Dean also plunged into the four- degree water. In addition, the future paramedics from the FHSS USB raised some money among themselves, handing over CZK 1,600 to the České Budějovice branch of the Society for Early Care.

Afterwards, the dean's office received a thank you from the director of the Society for Early Care Mgr. Jana Tušlová. The Dean of the FHSS USB, Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, Ph.D., said: "I am always proud of students who support a "good cause". I appreciate their attitude all the more because they are first-year students who are not widely experienced and lack the insight from professional practice. Yet they have the desire and willingness to help and support those who need their help." The aim of this event, which remains ongoing, is to draw attention to the situation of families of children with severe disabilities. The moment parents learn that their child has a serious disability, they feel "like they have been thrown into icy water" in which they have to learn to swim very quickly. It is during this difficult period when early childhood care helps them. A new campaign started in early December and will run until the end of January 2022 to raise funds to support families with children with early-year disabilities.