The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Spirit of Children, a program that brings fun and funding to hospitals, surprised patients and families at Seattle Children’s Hospital this week with a Halloween party, complete with costumes, crafts and pumpkins. From superheroes to Disney princesses, children picked from hundreds of Halloween costumes and were transformed into the characters of their dreams, all free of charge.
Since 2006, Spirit Halloween and the Spirit of Children Program, has helped to make hospital stays less scary for kids and their families by bringing Halloween to pediatric patients across the U.S. and Canada. To date, the Spirit of Children Program has raised more than $409,377 for Seattle Children’s, with all the proceeds benefiting Child Life Departments.
Making hospitals less scary
For 5-year-old Matthew Giger, a patient at Seattle Children’s who underwent surgery last week, the experience was exactly what the doctor ordered.
“It’s been fun for him,” said Saundra Giger, Matthew’s mother. “The party and the costumes, they really outdid themselves for the kids. Now, Matthew gets to leave the hospital as a superhero with good memories of meeting the Ninja Turtles.”
Resources:
- About Spirit of Children
- Seattle Children’s Child Life Department
- Halloween safety tips – On the Pulse
- Tips for having a nutritious Halloween – On the Pulse
- A safe and spooktacular Halloween