HOIOL collects over 2,200 toys during the June festival
Event unites popular culture, humanization, and solidarity for the well-being of patients
Decorated hallways, colorful flags, typical foods, and Brazilian rhythms invaded the corridors of the Octávio Lobo Children's Oncology Hospital (Hoiol) in Belém do Pará. The June tradition once again united with solidarity and transformed the hospital routine into a moment of celebration and inclusion. During the third edition of the Miss and Mister Caipira contest, an initiative included in the unit's humanization actions, 2,287 toys were collected, which will now 'feed' dreams and strengthen playful care for children undergoing cancer treatment.
This year, the campaign gained new momentum in 2025 with the creation of a third category in the contest, Mister Pet, which featured the participation of the charismatic Alecrim Dourado from the Canine Action Battalion (BAC) of the Military Police of Pará (PMPA). More than just a symbolic competition, the contest is part of a carefully planned program to integrate popular culture with the hospital's humanization actions.
The Hoiol Arraiá, already marked on the hospital's annual calendar, goes beyond entertainment and reaffirms the importance of play as a therapeutic tool. The Humanization Coordinator, Natacha Cardoso, explained that "the collected toys will be used in playful-pedagogical activities developed with pediatric patients in playrooms, during bedside birthday celebrations, in chemotherapy sessions, and in other actions that seek to make the hospital environment more welcoming and less painful."
The party began with the parade promoted by the Arraial do Pavulagem and included other cultural activities for both hospitalized and outpatient patients, always focusing on the integration between children, families, and multidisciplinary teams. The program featured the participation of the band "Liga do Brega" and collaboration from "Studio Silvana Quadros," which provided beauty day vouchers for the contest winners, Grupo Meninas de Nazaré, which provided gift kits for the candidates, and Antonio Junior, the marker of the quadrilha, presented by the Humanization Commission.
Natacha Cardoso emphasized that play is an essential right of childhood, guaranteed by the Statute of the Child and Adolescent. "The Arraial is a moment to play with great seriousness," emphasizes the coordinator. "Playing is much more than just distraction. It is a way to relieve pain, stimulate cognitive and emotional development, and offer children what they should never lose, their childhood," she highlighted.
The multidisciplinary team at Hoiol bets on playfulness as an essential part of care, and the actions developed are a way to ensure that treatment is also welcoming and full of inclusion. For one of the elected participants, Miss Caipira, the collective gesture of solidarity was what stood out the most. "Being Miss of Hoiol is much more than winning a sash. It is having the chance to help, to be part of something bigger. Knowing that over 2,000 toys will make other children smile warms the heart," proudly stated speech therapist Nahone Sarges.
Pediatrician Bruno Cerqueira, who has been working at the hospital for about two and a half years, was elected Mister. "It was very gratifying to be chosen and to contribute to this campaign. Knowing that these children will be able to enjoy the toys during their hospitalization motivates us even more in our daily work. I thank the people who also mobilized to help our little ones," said the pediatrician.
