Friends & Family,
Welcome to my fundraising page! I am raising money for Beacon Children's Hospital by participating in Sunburst Races. With your help, the money I raise will directly support the Child Life and Creative Services Program at Beacon Children's Hospital. The role of a Child Life Specialist is invaluable.
Our son Theodore was taken to the NICU 6 hours after he was born. We had been at the hospital since 2:30am. He was born just after noon and it was 8:30pm when I was able to first see him in the NICU hooked up to multiple machines and breathing apparatus. Much to my delight, my bed was in the same room as Teddy and we were allowed to stay there all 9 days even though I was discharged as a patient.
When we couldn’t be at the hospital with Teddy, we were able to view him on a cc camera. I wasn’t sure I would use this, but it ended up being a great comfort to watch at night or during family dinner so we could all be together.
October 29 was my oldest son’s birthday and having a baby in the NICU was an unforeseen challenge. We wanted to make our 10 year old feel special, so my husband brought dinner and the presents and we were able to celebrate as a family in the lounge and the children had a blast playing with all of the new toys.
October 31 came and Teddy saw his first holiday in the hospital. The nurses heard that our older children had Harry Potter costumes so they brought Teddy a Ravelclaw outfit so he could celebrate as well. When the boys came up before trick or treating, family services had art kits for them as a special treat to use while they spent time at the hospital.
These are just some examples of the amazing services offered at Beacon Children’s hospital. We were so surprised to be so emotionally cared for as a family during our stay and want many other families to be able to experience this as well.
Child Life programming supports children and families by:
-Helping children cope with anxiety, fear, separation and adjustment in the hospital setting
-Making doctors, needles, tests and procedures a little less scary
-Providing art, music and pet therapy
-Organizing activities for patients and their families
-Addressing concerns and telling patients what to expect
-Offering endless support with a listening ear, encouraging words and a loving hand to hold
Join the cause and together we'll make an impact that reaches far beyond the finish line - one that helps kids and families when they need it most.
Click here to learn more about Beacon Children's Hospital.
