Going to the hospital can get kids worried, stressed or anxious depending on the type of care their family or the kids themselves receive, so Cooper Hospital began an annual ‘Teddy Bears to the Rescue’ event to help kids see the hospital in a different light.
At the event, the children receive a stuffed bear, which becomes their patient for the day. Medical staff guide the students through diagnosing and treatment using real medical tools and equipment.
“This helps to increase their familiarity, get comfortable with who they might be seeing in the event they ever have to come back,” said Cooper Hospital Director of Community Health Max Kursh. “We help to ease their anxiety around coming to the hospital.”
The kids get to see how their patients receive care through things like X-rays, heart imaging, and sometimes the bears get treated for broken bones, too.
“The coolest part is just getting to work with the kids,” said Physical Therapist Delia Tarantino. “Getting them comfortable being here, getting to teach them, you know, what we do every day.”
The kids used their imaginations to think of what happened to their bears on why they ended up hurt or sick. One child said her bear rode their bike without a helmet and crashed, while another kid said their bear went outside without a coat and got sick.
Along with some prevention lessons like swimming safety, the students attending the event also learned about staying healthy and away from the hospital.
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