NY Islanders Score Big with Patients at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital
NHL Players Make a Special Visit to Pediatric Patients during the Holidays
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| The NY Islander took a break from the ice to delivered toys, other gifts, and good cheer to the patients and their families. Forward Eric Boulton (#36), defensemen Aaron Ness (#55) and Radek Martinek (#4) along with goalie Kevin Poulin (#60) , visited with over 70 patients. The visit was organized by the Child Life Program at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. |
STONY BROOK, N.Y., December 19, 2013 –Four professional hockey players from the New York Islanders played Santa on December 18 and scored big points with hospitalized children at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.
Leaving their skates and sticks at the rink, forward Eric Boulton (#36), defensemen Aaron Ness (#55) and Radek Martinek (#4) along with goalie Kevin Poulin (#60), delivered toys, other gifts, and good cheer to the patients and their families. During the previous week, the Islanders took a break from the ice to go on a shopping spree to choose gifts ranging from board games to Barbie dolls to bring to Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.
About 70 patients, along with family members, received visits from the players. The foursome walked through the entire inpatient pediatric unit and the pediatric unit at Stony Brook University Cancer Center. They were able to spend some time with the kids and signed autographs, took pictures and gave away those famous blue and orange team tee-shirts. The Islanders even gave out ticket vouchers to some of the families, good for any date their children were out of the hospital and well-enough to attend a game.
The visit was organized by the Child Life Program at Stony Brook Children’s and the New York Islanders. Through the Child Life Program at Stony Brook Children’s, professionals provide therapeutic, educational, and recreational activities to meet the unique emotional and developmental needs of hospitalized children. Activities include medical play therapy, games, arts and crafts, as well as specialized programs such as animal assisted therapy, music therapy, and birthday and holiday parties.
About Stony Brook Children’s Hospital:
Established in June 2010, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital is Suffolk County’s only children’s hospital. More than 7,000 children and adolescents are admitted each year. Stony Brook Children’s operates 100 pediatric beds and has more than 140 full-time pediatric physicians and surgeons in 30 different specialties and over 200 voluntary pediatric faculty members. The hospital is the Level 4 Regional Perinatal Center for our area and has a Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. It is home to the nation’s first Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center and also offers a Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program, Pediatric Cardiology Program, Pediatric HIV and AIDS Center, Cystic Fibrosis Center and the Cody Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. To learn more, visit www.stonybrookchildrens.org.
