Choupidou's first candle, the adventure continues

By Claire Debatisse for Choupidou

Choupidou was born a year ago with a simple conviction: when a child is hospitalized, the bond with their family remains essential.

However, in the reality of daily life, being present at all times is not always possible. Professional, family, or geographical constraints can sometimes keep parents, siblings, or loved ones away.

In hospital departments, teams support children and their families every day. They reassure, address concerns, and pay constant attention to preserving this bond, in the midst of an already very intense daily routine.

Choupidou was also created to support them in this mission: a secure application allowing families to receive non-medical photos and videos of their hospitalized child, shared by the care teams. A small digital bridge, designed to bring people closer, reassure, and preserve the bond, while easily integrating into the organization of the departments.

From an idea to a collective adventure

In one year, Choupidou has grown significantly. What started as a project driven by a few passionate individuals has become a true human adventure.

This first year has seen several important milestones:

• The recognition of Choupidou as a public interest association.
• The deployment of the secure application within hospital establishments.
• The creation of an engaged community that grew from 3 to 135 volunteers across France.

But behind these numbers, there are primarily people. Men and women who have chosen to donate their time, share their skills, and share a common desire: to contribute, each in their own way, to improving the daily lives of hospitalized children and their families.

A year of encounters

This first year has above all offered us wonderful encounters:

• Encounters with dedicated healthcare professionals who work daily with children and their families.
• Discussions with hospital teams who innovate and consider new solutions to support families, while preserving their organization and time.
• Moments shared with volunteers from diverse backgrounds, united by a common mission.

Because, deep down, Choupidou is not just an application. It's a human chain that brings together all those who believe that a connection, even from a distance, can be of great importance.

Only one year... and still so much to build

Today, we celebrate our first anniversary with much gratitude to all the people who made this adventure possible: the volunteers who commit themselves, the professionals who trust us, the establishments that open their doors to the project, and the families who remind us every day why this bond matters so much.

But this first year is just the beginning. Our ambition remains the same: to enable more and more families to stay connected with their hospitalized child, by offering Choupidou free of charge to public hospitals.

To continue developing the application, supporting new establishments, and growing this project, the association relies on the commitment of its volunteers, grants, and donations.