Empowering Persons with Disabilities Through Art and Healing

On August 25, 2025, fourteen young individuals with Spina Bifida, along with their families, gathered at Daily Habit Café on Aurora Blvd., Quezon City for the 2nd Spina Bifida Youth Assembly, themed “We Form, We Heal, We Rise.” 

Beyond being just a gathering, the event provided a heartfelt space where youth and families shared stories, built friendships, explored new interests, and found solace in knowing they are not alone in their journey.

The highlight of the assembly was a pottery-making workshop led by the wonderful team of OdangPutik. With warmth and patience, they introduced the youth to pottery, explaining how art can be a means to express emotions, relieve stress, and heal. They emphasized that pottery is not about creating something perfect but about letting your hands, thoughts, and feelings shape something meaningful.

Initially, some participants were shy and hesitant to touch the clay, unsure of what to create.

However, as the session progressed, the room gradually filled with laughter, smiles, and excitement. Hands became messy with clay, but hearts felt lighter. Each participant crafted something unique — some simple, some playful, some deeply personal — and every piece reflected a part of who they are and the journey they bravely continue.

While the youth were busy molding clay, the parents and guardians participated in a paper quilling workshop. Using strips of paper carefully rolled and shaped into beautiful patterns, the activity unexpectedly mirrored their experiences as parents of children with Spina Bifida.

Just like paper quilling, raising a child with Spina Bifida requires patience, care, and endless love. Some pieces were difficult to shape initially, while others needed gentle adjustments before fitting perfectly into the design. Many parents quietly realized how similar this was to their own journey — filled with challenges, uncertainties, sacrifices, and moments that required starting over and trying again. Yet despite it all, something beautiful continues to emerge from their love and dedication.

The activity also reminded everyone that no two designs are ever the same, just as no two children or families share the same story. Every journey is unique, and every small step deserves celebration. Piece by piece, the paper designs slowly came together, symbolizing how support, therapy, healthcare, education, family, and community all contribute to shaping the lives of SB youth.

Throughout the afternoon, the café was filled not only with creativity but with understanding, encouragement, and genuine connection. Parents exchanged stories and advice, while the youth bonded over shared experiences and newfound confidence. For many, it was a rare moment where they felt truly seen, accepted, and understood without needing to explain themselves.

The 2nd SB Youth Assembly became more than an art workshop. It served as a reminder that healing does not always occur in hospitals or therapy rooms — sometimes, healing happens in shared laughter, in creating something with your hands, in meeting people who understand your journey, and in realizing that despite every challenge, you continue to grow stronger together.

Much like clay being carefully molded and paper slowly shaped into art, the SB youth and their families continue to form, heal, and rise — one step, one story, and one beautiful creation at a time.