Spirit of Children is making hospital stays less scary for kids and families
10/01/2021
Since 2012, Spirit of Children has been
bringing Halloween festivities to life
for our youngest patients at Banner
Children’s medical centers.
A nurse from the Emergency Department at Banner Desert Medical Center called the Child Life team to support an 11-year-old patient on the autism spectrum. The patient was likely going to need surgery and the thought of an IV was causing her high anxiety. A Child Life specialist immediately went into the patient’s room to assess the situation. After calmly explaining and doing some medical role-playing, the patient was able to have some control of the experience by applying coping mechanisms. After the Child Life specialist provided a weighted/compression vest and noise canceling headphones, the patient got through the IV start successfully and remained calm during the rest of her hospital stay.
Since 2012, the Spirit of Children organization has been bringing Halloween festivities to life for our youngest patients at Banner Children’s medical centers, providing them with Halloween costumes, accessories, decorations, activities and more. But there’s more to Spirit of Children than just bringing joy through a day of festivities. Each Halloween season, participating Spirit Halloween stores throughout Maricopa and Pinal counties collect cash register donations to benefit Banner Children’s Child Life programs.
Child Life Specialists provide emotional and educational support to children and their families, therapeutic and medical play for pediatric patients, and specialized care to ensure each child feels safe during their hospital stay. Funds from last season’s campaign allowed the Child Life team to support patients and their families through over 1,600 traumatic encounters.
In addition to funding compassionate care, funds from Spirit of Children allowed the Child Life team to purchase sensory items that aid in helping children remain calm throughout their hospital stay. These sensory items include weighted compression vests, textured rings and balls, noise cancelling headphones, fidget toys, and teething tubes.“Thank you, Spirit of Children, for helping our youngest patients have a better experience in the hospital, not just on Halloween, but throughout the entire year,” says Rose Campbell, a Child Life specialist at Banner Children’s at Desert.
Throughout the month of October, you can save 10% on your purchase while supporting Banner Children’s Child Life programs by presenting this year’s coupon code (see below) at any participating Spirit Halloween stores. Proceeds from each sale will directly benefit Banner Children’s Child Life programs. Happy Halloween!
