MESA, Ariz. (Oct. 16, 2024) -- Child life specialists are playing an essential role at Banner Children’s in Mesa and Tucson by providing crucial support to pediatric patients and their families during challenging medical experiences. These specialists offer assistance in coping with medical procedures, reducing stress, and promoting emotional well-being through tailored play, education, and therapeutic interventions that cater to each child’s individual needs.
Trained in child development, family systems, and evidence-based supportive interventions, child life specialists are invaluable members of the pediatric healthcare team at Banner Children’s. Their presence helps create a nurturing and comforting environment that aids in the overall healing process and enhances the quality of life for young patients.
Generous philanthropic support from organizations like Spirit of Children help fund two child life specialists at Banner Children's at Desert and help provide essential resources used in the child life departments in both Banner Children’s at Desert in Mesa and Diamond Children's Medical Center in Tucson.
"Here at Banner Children’s at Desert, our child life specialists are committed to delivering outstanding care and support for our pediatric patients,” said Sue Eaton, child life director at Banner Children's at Desert. “We are grateful for the incredible support from Spirit of Children in collecting donations that significantly benefit our child life department. Their generosity enables us to enhance the experiences and well-being of the children and their families."
On Wednesday, the child life departments at Banner Children’s hospitals in Mesa and Tucson joined forces with employees from Spirit of Halloween stores hosting pediatric patients and their families to an afternoon of games, crafts, and the thrilling opportunity to select their very own Halloween costumes generously provided by Spirit of Children. This collaborative effort brought joy and excitement to the young patients as they engaged in a memorable experience leading up to the festive season.
In 2023, Spirit of Children raised $143,688 to support the child life department at Banner Desert and $84,629 to support the department at Diamond Children’s. The more than $228,000 raised enhances the care provided to pediatric patients and their families.
“Spirit of Children has brought so much joy over the years to our pediatric patients,” says Andy Petersen, president and chief executive officer of the Banner Health and Alzheimer’s Foundation. “The kids in our care at Banner Children’s benefit directly from the additional resources that Spirit of Children so generously donates to support the child life program. We are so grateful for this ongoing partnership.”
For more information about child life, visit: bannerhealth.com/services/pediatrics/medical-care/child-life-specialists.
About Banner Children’s
Banner Children’s, part of nonprofit Banner Health, cares for more kids than any other health system in Arizona. From well-child exams to treatment of minor injuries and illnesses to management of chronic conditions, the experienced team at Banner Children’s provides comprehensive, family-centered medical care for every child in Banner Health centers and clinics, emergency rooms, hospitals and outpatient facilities. Services include: behavioral health, cancer care, diabetes and endocrinology, digestive care, emergency care, heart care, neurosciences, primary care, surgery and more. For more information about Banner Children’s services, physicians and locations, visit bannerchildrens.com.
About Banner Health Foundation
Established in 2001, the Banner Health Foundation engages the community and stewards charitable contributions to advance Banner Health’s nonprofit mission of making health care easier so life can be better. Contributions are invested locally to support patient care programs and services operated by Banner’s many hospitals and health care facilities across Arizona. For more information, please visit www.bannerhealthfoundation.org.
About Spirit of Children
At the heart of Spirit Halloween is Spirit of Children, a program which focuses on making hospitals less scary for kids and their families. Since fundraising began in 2007, Spirit of Children has raised more than $127 million for the Child Life department at hospitals across the United States and Canada. Donations to Spirit of Children stay within local communities, with 100% of funds going toward support for Child Life. For the 2024 Halloween season, Spirit of Children will be supporting more than 160 pediatric hospitals across the country, with a goal to raise more than $17 million. Spirit Halloween encourages customers to help make a difference in a child's life this Halloween season by donating at their local Spirit Halloween and spreading awareness via social media using #SpiritofChildren and #MoreCowbell in their photos. For more information, please visit: SpiritOfChildren.com
About Spirit Halloween
Spirit Halloween is the largest Halloween retailer in North America. With 1,525 seasonal locations in strip centers and malls across North America, Spirit is the one-stop destination for all things Halloween. For more than four decades, Spirit has created immersive and interactive experiences for shoppers, complete with a unique and vast assortment of costumes and accessories for infants, toddlers, children, 'tweens, teens, and adults, along with exclusive décor and animatronics you will not find anywhere else. For more information, please visit SpiritHalloween.com.
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