Hello, my name is Marie Virata Halloran, a registered nurse by profession. As a registered nurse I had the pleasure of serving many different roles: Clinical floor nurse/health educator, GMH nurse health educator, Department of Public Health and Social Services spearheaded the Risk Reduction Program at the different government agencies, serving at least 2,500 employees.
It was exciting and meaningful seeing the progress of our participants. Participants were required to fill a pre-test and post-test forms. The results were astounding. Most of our participants remained serious about improving and conforming to a healthy lifestyle. I did this for three years. In the meantime, my family was growing. When our 5th child was born, I took a break and stayed home teaching exercise classes at home. When our youngest child started school, I applied to become a school health counselor. The compensation was less, but the reward was greater, being with my children after school was vital to our family life. With God’s blessing there was an opening at Cathedral Grade School, got interviewed and accepted. Sister McCauley Paulino was an exemplary principal, so positive and very encouraging of what I can do for our students.
First few days of school, I visited the classrooms, introduced myself, shared what I expected from them when they come to see me and more importantly what my task was at the school. My task was to uphold each student with utmost safety and maintaining good health from both mind and body conducive to their academic and physical abilities.
Soon after our kids started to stream in the nurse’s office. A lot of the kids I saw complained of aches and pain from their stomach to their head and even their back and legs. I would take their vital signs and tell them my findings were within normal. I would ask them with a kind heart if there is anything that was bothering them, whether at school or at home. They would glance at me and I would look gently at them trying to probe what is really bothering them that they are feeling sick and helpless. Within a few minutes they would describe what was happening at home with bent heads and adding they are not sure whether their mom or dad would be coming home because of the big fights the night before that they have seen and heard. One kid said he did not have a chance to sleep for fear when he wakes up, he will be all alone with no mom or dad.
What do I say to our fragile students? I read a lot of self-care books on how we can assist our emotionally stressed children not of their own doing but because of what was happening at home, a home that serves as a safe haven for them, where they can live, laugh, giggle, chuckle, cry, smile, love without fears and worries.
When Sister McCauley asked me if I wanted to be trained as a Registered Director of Rainbows, I said absolutely yes. I could bring the program to Guam, train volunteers to become certified Rainbow facilitators to assist our hurting children. Sister Trinie Pangelinan was the first trained Register Director of Rainbows for All Children Guam.
I flew to Arnprior, Canada for training to become a Rainbow Registered Director for Guam. I met people from all over the world who had the same passion to help our grieving children process their emotional feelings of grief and loss, learn coping skills, apply tools learned in a positive manner, accept their present life situation, heal from their loss with forgiveness, and finally hope for a better brighter tomorrow.
Coming back to Guam was all thrilling and hopeful. I felt I had all this knowledge to share and captivate teachers, staff and others that had the calling to be trained and together we can be a team of positivity helping our confused and heartbroken children journey through their tribulations with hopes and confidence that it is not their fault what has happened in their lives. Since 1988 to the present, we in Rainbows for All Children Guam has helped more than 25, 000 grieving children and families become optimistic about life, living and loving.
Before I end this article, I wanted to remind everyone that Rainbows for All Children Guam is going to hold its 36th annual Rainbows for All Children Guam 3.5 Mi. Run Walk for Youth 2024, on March 2, 2024. Venue will be at Guam Premier Outlet, from 5:15 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. We rely on this donation to continue our work with our children needing emotional help and stability from a loss of a significant loved one in their lives. For more information, please email Marie Virata Halloran: rainbbows@yahoo.com, I will make sure to reply to you promptly.
I will continue to write articles about Rainbows for All Children Guam from different perspective of losses and what one can do to help our children from their painful life translon.
Marie Virata Halloran is a registered nurse, certified in death and grief studies. She is executive director of LifeWorks Guam/Rainbows for All Children Guam. Contact her at (671) 685-0237 or at rainbbows@yahoo.com.
