Letting kids be kids: that’s the goal of the 24th Annual Teddy Bear Picnic, taking place at the London Health Sciences Centre’s Children’s Hospital.
Organizers say between 150 and 200 child patients have the opportunity Wednesday to make their own stuffed teddy bear, play games, enjoy music, win raffle prizes, and eat food with their parents and caregivers.
“The children go through lots of difficult tests and procedures and admissions from time to time,” said event co-chair Cindy Milne-Ren.
“As much as they must go through what they must to recover, we want to provide opportunity to also have good memories here at the hospital.”
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The event is made possible by volunteers and community sponsors, and it also allows kids to see hospital staff and doctors in a less stressful environment. Joanna Makinson says that’s valuable for her daughter Lauren, who was born with a rare abdomen defect, and now visits the hospital every three to four months. Earlier on in her life, Lauren would spend an entire week at the hospital each month.
“One of the volunteers volunteering down here today is someone she sees all the time upstairs, on the hospital ward. He comes and plays cards with her,” explained Makinson.
She stopped counting how many times her daughter has been on the operating table after surgery number 12 at age four. The young girl has issues with her kidneys and bladder now, and struggles with anxiety. But her mom says events like the Teddy Bear Picnic help make their situation feel more “normal.”
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“I built this really cute brown bear,” said Lauren, holding up the fluffy teddy she stuffed with a hospital volunteer and named Dexter. At a teddy bear hospital station, she gave Dexter a hospital mask, and a Band-Aid on his arm similar to the bandage coming from an IV in her own arm.
“She’s really really enjoyed herself,” said Joanna. “Lots of great activities, lots of wonderful different things for her to see, and a chance to interact with a lot of the other kids as well, which is great.”
The atrium at the Children’s Hospital was transformed into a wonderland filled with activity stations, and a performance by the Tomato Soup Band. Children and their families were also able to take photos with Batwoman and a Batmobile parked outside.
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