Child Life Program organizes Halloween celebration for children undergoing treatment

Once a year cartoon characters, fairy princesses and action heroes gather at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as hundreds of employees work together to turn the hospital into a giant trick-or-treat trail for children battling cancer and other catastrophic diseases. The event spans buildings and floors throughout the campus in Memphis, Tenn.

The Halloween celebration is organized by the Child Life Program as a means to provide children undergoing treatment a bit of normalcy in otherwise difficult circumstances. Hospitalization and treatment are arduous for children and their families, and being away from home means missing out on special events.

"The Halloween festivities allow patients to enjoy the holiday as they would at home," said Cara Sisk, a child life specialist at St. Jude.

The Halloween event has grown exponentially each year with everyone from nurses to bench scientists to office personnel setting up trick-or-treat stands for the kids. It's a task taken seriously as employees select themes to decorate their booths and begin planning months in advance, working after hours and throughout lunch to design their trick-or-treat stops.

The event encourages teamwork, camaraderie and creativity as staff collaborate to outdo the previous year's efforts. Friendly competition among departments is part of the fun, with prizes awarded for best decorations and costumes as well as most child-friendly theme.

On the day of the event, patients and their siblings dress in costumes and meet in the hospital's main lobby. Armed with goodie bags and maps of the more than 50 Halloween stops, the children begin their adventure. For patients who cannot leave their beds, the fun comes to them as departments send their costumed characters room-to-room for reverse trick-or-treating.

"It is the one event each year that allows all hospital programs and departments to participate in a fun day with the patients and families, making it a morale boosting event for staff as well." Sisk said.

Source : St. Jude Children's Research Hospital