Taking care of the whole child and family means setting aside time for patients, parents and providers to make memories together outside of the clinical setting.
You don’t usually encounter carousel horses and cotton candy when you go to the hospital, but these, and so much more, were made available to the attendees of this year’s pediatric hematology and oncology prom at our Children’s Pavilion Saturday.
How the prom has gotten bigger and better over the years
This is the 12th annual event (after taking time off for both Covid and the opening of the Children’s Tower) and it’s come a long way since its first event in 2011.
“We have grown so much since that first year when it was red-carpet themed,” reminisced Robyn Dillon, clinical social worker for our hematology and oncology program, who brought the idea of an oncology prom to CHoR. “Think back to your middle school spring dance, with homemade decorations, a limited budget and limited space, that’s where we started.”
Now, the catered affair, with a professional DJ and large-scale decorations, provides hair and make-up for our attendees, who have likely missed out on many fun events as they navigate their health journeys. But this trip to CHoR is all fun and games for our attendees and our team members.
“For the medical staff to be able to interact with their patients and families in a fun and joyous way outside of the hospital and clinic is just wonderful,” explained Robyn. “It’s so uplifting and beautiful to be able to see these kids just be themselves.”
Healing the spirit as well as the body
“She is immunocompromised, so she can't be out in public a lot,” explained Crystal. “Here, and during events like these, she gets to connect with other patients on a level that none of us understand, but they all understand because they’re going through it together. I cannot put into words how grateful we are.”
It’s all part of the mission provide the best possible care on every level even when things get tough.
“The team here makes it a point to get personal with their patients,” explained Crystal. “The providers want to know who they are, what they like and what they don’t like, and they remember it all. They've become our family.”
A musical connection to our care
The dance floor was packed with promgoers and providers for most of the night, and in the DJ booth there was someone very familiar with how CHoR helps families heal.
Kyle Tower, aka DJ Algorhythm, has a soft spot for our team because of the care provided to one of his children back in 2017. Kyle’s son, Obadiah, underwent treatment for a rare kidney cancer when he was just 18-months old. Fast forward 9 years after being deemed cancer-free, Obadiah and his big sister Aurora were there alongside their dad as he provided the soundtrack to a memorable night.
“It was such a fun time and a blessing to see everyone dancing and having a great time,” said Kyle. “It just fills me with gratitude at how well CHoR and all its personnel served our entire family through a very difficult time.”