BTN Communications, December 19, 2013
BTN visited Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children?s Hospital Wednesday afternoon to bring some holiday cheer to the patients and their families. BTN?s on-air personalities Dave Revsine, Howard Griffith, Shon Morris and Lisa Byington, along with BTN Vice President, Marketing Erin Harvego, were all on hand playing games, creating holiday crafts and spending time with the children.
Lurie Children?s, one of the top children?s hospitals in the country according to U.S. News & World Report, is an absolutely beautiful facility that is extremely welcoming to young patients. The Family Life Center, which BTN visited, serves as the main respite area for all inpatients and their families, providing a variety of helpful activities, work spaces and rest areas.
The BTN group had a few dozen stuffed bears in tow to give to the children and to decorate the Family Life Center. It was a wonderful moment for BTN and one that brought a lot of joy to both the children and the network visitors.
One of my favorite moments was when one of the young patients entered the room, dragging his mom behind him, rushing toward Griffith. The youngster came to the Family Life Center just to get a picture with Howard and was smiling from ear to ear.
?It is incredibly gratifying to see the kids so eager to let you into their world,? said Byington, who spent some time playing a racing video game on Xbox with a patient named Justin. She remembers him letting out a big belly laugh when he smashed his car into hers. She said Justin won by a landslide. ?I think it's a blessing to take a few hours out of our lives, in order to make a few moments in theirs seem painless, carefree and fun.?
?Even in the face of unfair obstacles, seeing the children full of joy reminded me how powerful the human spirit really is,? said Morris. Morris spent a good portion of the afternoon bonding with a patient named Mason. Morris was even able to squat down and sit at the kids? table. Not an easy feat for a guy standing just under seven feet tall. ?High-fiving little Mason after playing cars and meeting his parents are just a couple things I won't forget.?
Seeing all the happy faces is what Revsine says was his favorite part of the visit. He spent quality time with a young patient named Hope, who had him running around picking out some of her favorite toys.
Some of the patients were there with serious conditions and others were staying at the hospital for only a short period of time. All in all, it was a special day for everyone.
BTN has a lot planned for 2014 but before we get there the entire BTN Communications team wishes you and your families a happy and healthy holiday season!
