Pediatric patients treated to care packages from Spirit of Children

Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital patients were treated to care packages with assorted costumes, activity books, crayons and treats on Tuesday, Oct. 20, courtesy of Spirit of Children.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Spirit of Children representatives weren’t able to host their annual Spirit Fall Festival at the hospital, but they still ensured fall fun was not one of the hallmarks getting canceled this year.

Child life specialists circulated throughout the units passing out the care packages and letting patients choose their favorite costumes.

The mission of Spirit of Children is to make hospitals less scary for kids and their families by providing fun during the fall season and raising funds year-round for child life programs within children’s hospitals across the nation.

Spirit of Children chooses to partner with and support child life departments whose main function is to provide developmental, educational and therapeutic support for children undergoing medical treatment. Trained child life specialists help children and their families cope with the many stresses involved when a child is in the hospital. These programs are instrumental to the healing process for children and help kids just be kids in times of fear and discomfort.

Spirit of Children has raised more than $460,000 for Children’s Hospital over the last ten years — not including funds raised this year — through donations made to Spirit stores in the Inland Empire.