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>> A LOT OF TIMES KIDS DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT WE'RE CALLED
CHILD LIFE SPECIALISTS.
A LOT OF KIDS WILL CALL US CAMP COUNSELORS.
WE'RE TRAINED TO HELP KIDS UNDERSTAND THE HOSPITAL
AND THE MEDICAL PROCEDURES THAT THE NURSES AND DOCTORS
REQUIRE THEM TO DO EVERY DAY.
A LOT OF OUR ROLE IS TEACHING KIDS ABOUT
PROCEDURES BEFORE THEY HAPPEN HERE AND THEN GOING
WITH THOSE TO THOSE PROCEDURES AND HELPING COACH
THEM THROUGH, EMPOWER THEM A LITTLE BIT THAT MIGHT BE
A LITTLE BIT SCARY AND THINGS THAT ARE NOT NORMAL
FOR THEM.
I BASICALLY MAKE MY OWN ROUNDS.
SO I WALK AROUND.
I SEE WHO'S HERE ALREADY.
I SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND THEN I'M JUST ALWAYS TRYING
TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.
THE MORE I CAN TALK TO PATIENTS AND SIBLINGS
AND PARENTS THE BETTER.
>> CHILDREN OFTEN DON'T HAVE WORDS–OR THE ABILITY TO PUT
THEIR FEELINGS INTO WORDS– AND SO USING ART OR CLAY
OR WE HAVE MUSIC THERAPY HERE AS WELL.
HAVING ANOTHER MODALITY TO HELP THEM EXPRESS THEIR
FEELINGS WHEN THEY CAN'T ALWAYS PUT IT INTO WORDS.
I'M HERE TO HAVE FUN, MAKE THIS A FUN ENVIRONMENT,
A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, BUT THEN ALSO HELP WITH SOME
OF THE HARD STUFF.
YOU GUYS NEED A WAY TO TELL YOUR CHILD A LOT OF THE
HARDER THINGS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
AND I'M HERE FOR MOM AND DAD TOO,
JUST TRYING TO HELP THEM DEVELOP THEIR OWN COPING
PLAN FOR THEIR FAMILY.
>> IT'S A REALLY REWARDING FEELING TO MEET A FAMILY
WHO IS REALLY, REALLY NERVOUS BEFORE THEY KNOW WHAT
I'M GOING TO SAY AND WALK OUT THAT VISIT AND HAVE A KID SAY,
"I'M EXCITED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL TOMORROW."
>> WE TRY TO RECREATE A MORE LIKE REGULAR ENVIRONMENT
TO TRY TO MAKE THE HOSPITAL NOT SEEM
SUCH AN ABNORMAL SETTING.
>> YOU ALWAYS FEEL LIKE I DID A GOOD JOB WHEN THERE'S KIDS
THAT THINK THEIR HEART SURGERY IS GOING TO BE A BIG
ADVENTURE RATHER THAN THIS SCARY THING THAT THEY DON'T
REALLY UNDERSTAND.
>> THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.
DID YOU MAKE THIS FOR TINA?
SOME OF THE MOST SURPRISING THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN
IN THE PLAYROOM ARE KIDS JUST WILL BE COLORING,
WILL BE PLAYING AND THEN ONE KID WILL JUST SAY,
"I LOST MY HAIR JUST LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY HAIR
RIGHT NOW."
THINGS LIKE THAT AND THEY JUST KIND OF START TALKING
ABOUT IT.
BUT THEY ARE STILL PLAYING, THEY ARE STILL COLORING.
IT'S JUST KIND OF NORMAL TO THEM BUT THEIR LEARNING
THROUGH IT.
IT'S A VERY COOL PART OF MY JOB.
>> I'M ALWAYS SURPRISED HOW QUICKLY KIDS RECOVER
FROM SOMETHING THAT WOULD TAKE US, AS ADULTS, WEEKS
AND WEEKS AND WEEKS TO RECOVER.
EVEN ON A KID'S WORST DAY THEY STILL WANT TO PLAY
AND BE A KID AND HAVE FUN.
IT'S A GOOD REMINDER FOR US ALL.
>> I WOULD SUPPORT CHILD LIFE ANYWHERE BECAUSE IT'S SO
IMPORTANT FOR THESE KIDS TO HAVE SOME NORMALCY
IN THEIR LIFE.
>> DONATING TO OUR DEPARTMENT JUST HELPS US GET THE STAFFING
AND THE TOOLS AND THE EQUIPMENT AND WHATEVER
WE NEED TO TRY TO MAKE ALL THIS MEDICAL STUFF SEEM
A LITTLE MORE REGULAR FOR A KID.
>> AS A CHILD LIFE DEPARTMENT WE ARE PRIMARILY FUNDED
THROUGH DONATIONS.
WE ARE SEEN, BASICALLY, AS SORT OF LIKE A GIFT WE GIVE
TO KIDS AND FAMILIES IN THE HOSPITAL.
WE SEE EVERY KID IN THE HOSPITAL NO MATTER WHAT.
THAT IS, YOU KNOW, PRIMARILY FUNDED THROUGH PEOPLE WHO
ARE GENEROUS AND WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT MAKES KIDS
HAPPY AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING YOU SEE IN THE
PLAYROOM AND EVERYTHING WE USE WITH KIDS IS GIVEN TO US
THROUGH GRATEFUL DONORS.
EVERYTHING IN THIS PLAYROOM SENT BY PHILANTHROPY
AND PEOPLE WHO JUST WANT TO HELP.