Giving and health: A two-way street

When I was a child, I watched my mother suffer from debilitating mental and physical illness. These experiences got me interested in thinking seriously about health, and later, in helping other people through their own traumatic experiences. I think, deep down, that’s why I was so motivated to sponsor Isabely.

When I first saw her face on a ChildFund sign-up sheet at a Scott Stapp concert and read about the challenges she and her family were facing as sugarcane farmers in Brazil, I didn’t think twice. If there’s one thing I’ve learned again and again, it’s that giving of ourselves doesn’t just help those who are receiving – it helps us, too. We have the science to prove it.

Is Giving Good for You?

It may not come as a surprise to you that people who feel isolated and alone are at an increased risk of mortality and illness, including mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Given the nature of the pandemic we are currently living through, mental health has become a serious concern for many people.

Research tells us that there is a relationship between sound social support and improved levels of mental and physical health. Studies have also shown that poor social support is correlated with depression and other mood disorders. In the context of Vietnam veterans, for instance, there is a 180 percent reduced risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when social support is available. Simple acts of kindness and generosity can reach across the globe, and they have the ability to influence mental and even physical health. 

This goes both ways. People who choose to serve others experience psychosocial benefits that can improve their health. Research has even suggested that kindness and giving behavior, along with other types of cooperative social interactions, are associated with positive health outcomes, including reduced mortality. 

Safe to say, it’s a two-way street. Giving and helping others signals empathy and compassion – two of the best tools we have as humans to prevent illness and to support healing.

The Impact of Giving for Your Health – and a Child’s

In my line of work, it’s become very clear from my empirical observations and from scientific evidence that adverse childhood experiences leave a lasting imprint on the developing brain. Children are like sponges; they soak up all stimuli, whether or not it’s obvious on a day-to-day basis. For better or worse, childhood experiences shape the story a person comes to tell themselves about who they are, what they think and how they feel. When childhood experiences are stressful or traumatic – for example, living through poverty, abuse, loss of a parent or a natural disaster – they can skew a child’s perceptions and beliefs going forward into adulthood. This all impacts mental and physical health in the long term, and it’s why we need to put children first in any conversation we have about health.

I have been privileged to get to know Isabely so well over the last couple years. We talk about what we do for fun: reading, exploring and playing music for me; drawing, playing tag and volleyball for her. She wants to be an artist when she grows up, and I encourage her. I write to her about the importance of self-care. Even though her family struggles just to survive, I believe she has the aptitude to find what is meaningful to her and live a joyful, healthy life – and my sponsorship is helping provide the tools she needs to get there, like access to better education, nutrition and health care.

I learn a lot from her, too. A little over a year ago, Isabely sent me a letter after I sent her a birthday donation. The letter read, “This year I got great grades. I can't wait for next year to learn a lot of new things – this makes me very happy!” It’s so important for us to remember what brings us joy because when times get tough, we still have those small doses of happiness to bolster our health and see us through to the other side.

If you are resistant to sponsoring a child, I encourage you to think about what you are spending your money on each day that you could do without. A little goes a long way. Money doesn’t fix pain, but it can certainly be utilized to facilitate a child’s healing journey from adverse experiences like poverty.

One of my mentors said something to me a few years ago that has always stuck with me: “You start making things happen in your life by supporting others. Life will support those who support life.” While my personal mission is to help chronically ill people reclaim their lives, every day is still an opportunity to serve others beyond what I do for a living. Sponsorship fits right into the larger picture of my morality and the kind of footprint I want to leave on this planet. When we give to support children – our most precious resource – everyone’s health, happiness and well-being gets a boost.