Santa Claus makes visits with 4-year-old Da’Kaylen Lair who had to stay in bed while the Thanksgiving Eve parade went by his room.
HOUSTON, November 23, 2016 – Children spending Thanksgiving at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas Pediatric Center while recovering from illnesses didn’t miss out on going to the holiday parade.
The hospital’s Child Life Services and Pediatric Services teams organized a Thanksgiving Eve indoor parade to cheer up and cheer on all of the hospitalized pediatric patients.
“It’s fun to watch the big and elaborate Thanksgiving Day parades on T.V., but it’s even better to be in a parade or see one live,” said Angela Brinkman, Woman’s director of Pediatric Rehabilitation and Child Life Services. “We didn’t want the children who have to be in our hospital on Thanksgiving to miss out on one of the best Thanksgiving traditions, so we decided to bring the parade to them.”
Nurses, doctors, social workers and hospital administrators carried 15 life-size balloons and pulled wagons decorated as themed “floats” throughout the corridors of the Pediatric Center to allow ambulatory patients to participate in the parade and to bring the holiday festivities right to the bedsides of patients who could not leave their rooms.
“My cheeks were very numb because I was smiling so much,” said 8-year-old Nataly Sanchez who got walk in the parade and carry a Mickey Mouse balloon that was as tall as she is.
“I told her to just keep smiling because all that you really can do,” said Nataly’s mom, Nalley Sanchez who brought her daughter to be monitored for possible appendicitis. “It was wonderful to see her so happy in all of this gloom and pain.”
The parade was led by a marching band trio of snare drummers from Cypress Ranch High School and bringing up the rear was a familiar figure – Santa Claus.
Four-year-old patient Da’Kaylen Lair didn’t know who to be more excited about – the drummers, Santa or the Thomas the Tank Engine balloon that visited him at his bedside. So he spent time in his bed pretend marching and calling out the names of his favorite characters.
In addition to taking pictures with Santa Claus and the balloon versions of their favorite cartoon characters, each child received an age-appropriate craft bag to keep the fun going post-parade. Nataly had already made a turkey door hanger, a foam placemat and a Thanksgiving ornament.
“It’s great that the hospital gave the kids something fun to do with the parade and the gift bag so they just don’t have to lay in bed and watch T.V. all day,” said Nataly’s dad, Joel Sanchez.
The Woman’s Hospital of Texas Pediatric Center opened in January 2015 as a full-service, specialized care facility for children and teens inside The Woman’s Hospital of Texas. With an onsite lab, imaging department and pharmacy, parents and guardians can expect their children to receive an expert diagnosis and treatment without delay at our Pediatric Center.
“Our commitment to excellent patient-centered clinical care includes giving kids huge doses of fun and laughter to help them get better as quickly as possible,” said Jeff Mills, director of Pediatric Services.
About The Woman’s Hospital of Texas
The Woman’s Hospital of Texas opened in 1976 and is celebrating its 40th year as the state’s premier facility dedicated to the health and well-being of women and newborns. Our founders chose to name the hospital “Woman’s” – not “Women’s” – as a way to honor each patient as an individual and as a daily reminder that the care we give is always personalized and patient focused. Our attention to every detail of the patient experience makes us the top choice for women throughout the greater Houston area and beyond. Our physicians and nurses delivered more than 11,000 babies in 2015 – more than any other hospital in the State of Texas. And with the recent addition of our Pediatric Center, our hospital now offers its high-quality care to children and teenagers. Located near the Texas Medical Center in the heart of Houston, The Woman’s Hospital of Texas has 397 licensed beds, including a 124-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). With more than 650 board-certified physicians, The Woman’s Hospital of Texas offers expertise and outstanding care in breast health, imaging, gynecology, obstetrics, high-risk pregnancy, neonatology and minimally-invasive surgery.
In our “40 Years of Caring,” we’ve consistently raised the standards for women’s healthcare in Houston and the State of Texas. We were the first hospital in Houston to earn the Baby-Friendly Hospital distinction from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF.) We also were the first hospital in Texas to be named a National Association for Continence Center of Excellence for Continence Care in Women – one of only six in the nation. The Woman’s Hospital of Texas is accredited by The Joint Commission and recognized by the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists as a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology. Visit our website at womanshospital.com.