PRESS RELEASE: Young Patients Forget, Break From Treatments and Procedures For Festive Holiday Fun

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 28, 2005

MEDIA - FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Deborah Perry Phone (361) 442-4538
www.driscollchildrens.org

YOUNG PATIENTS FORGET, BREAK FROM
TREATMENTS & PROCEDURES FOR FESTIVE HOLIDAY FUN

Driscoll Holiday Party for Oncology & Hematology patients and their families
Saturday, December 3, 2005 ? 2 - 4 p.m.
1st United Methodist Church ? 900 Shoreline Blvd.

Driscoll Holiday Party for past “Pilot for a Day” patients and their families
Saturday, December 3, 2005 ? 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Fun Trackers ? 9605 S.P.I.D.

(Corpus Christi, TX) Ho, ho, ho! In early December, Driscoll Children's Hospital, and several supporting groups, will be hosting two holiday parties for young patients and their families from the Oncology and Hematology Clinic and past participants from the “Pilot for a Day” program who come from many different clinics within the hospital.

"These kids can just be kids and enjoy the upcoming holidays, forgetting about their diagnosis and prognosis for a day," says Laura Esparza, social worker in Driscoll's Oncology and Hematology Clinic. "An event like this also allows our employees to step out from their roles of helping kids conquer cancer and other diseases, and simply be friends with the kids and their families."

Oncology & Hematology Holiday Party
Current and past patients will enjoy music, gifts, as well as a visit from Santa himself. These patients are living with or recovering from cancer or blood disorders such as leukemia, different types of tumors, hemophilia and sickle cell.

“Pilot for a Day” Holiday Party
Driscoll’s patients who have participated in the “Pilot for a Day” program over the past four years will enjoy Fun Tracker’s festivities including bumper boats, rock wall, go-carts, and miniature golf, as well as festive holiday food. Coordinated in conjunction with the U.S. Navy and host squadron VT-35, the “Pilot for a Day” program hosts critically and chronically ill children such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, congenital heart defects the opportunity to walk in the boots of a military pilot for a day. Naval Air Station Corpus Christi’s All-Officer’s Spouses Club will give the children stockings and ornaments.

Driscoll Children's Hospital Logo
About Driscoll Children’s Hospital
“Improve the health of adults and you give them back their health …
Improve the health of children and you give them their life.”

Since opening its doors in 1953, Driscoll Children’s Hospital has been offering hope and healing to the children of South Texas for half a century. The facility is a 189-bed pediatric tertiary care center with pediatric board-certified specialists representing 19 medical and nine surgical specialties. Each year, more than 6,000 children are admitted for inpatient care, 5,000 for day surgery, and 50,000 for outpatient primary and specialty care, as well as 40,000 for emergency care, as the first South Texas hospital with emergency services exclusively for children. Additionally, Driscoll maintains a state-of-the-art ground/air transport team, 20-bed pediatric intensive care unit, 40-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and specialized medical outreach.

www.driscollchildrens.org

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