Holiday Treat: Patients at Stony Brook Children’s “Meet the Matz”
NY Mets pitcher and Stony Brook native Steven Matz signs autographs, mingles with children in the pediatric units and Cancer Center
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Mets pitcher Steven Matz with Stony Brook Children’s patients Nicholas Reinoso, left, and Anmol Jaswal, both displaying their Mets’ themed colored drawings, which Matz autographed. |
STONY BROOK, NY, December 28, 2015 – Steven Matz, New York Mets pitcher and native of Stony Brook, brought holiday cheer and big smiles to the faces of dozens of Long Island’s youngest Mets fans – pediatric patients at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.
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Steven Matz talks with Stony Brook Children’s patient Rachel Dennis. |
The Mets pitcher spent time talking to the children and encouraged them to keep getting better and to finish all their treatments. Patients like Nicholas Reinoso, 9, of Bellport, shared their artwork with Matz – colored drawings of Mr. Met and other Mets’ themed images. He signed their drawings and chatted with patients in the pediatric floor playroom and in some of their hospital rooms in the acute care and intensive care units.
“It’s great to see these kids at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and take time to learn about them,” said Matz. “That’s what it is all about this time of year.”
“It was cool to meet him,” said Anmol Jaswal, 21, of Blue Point, a college student who attends Long Island University. Decked out in her tennis sweatsuit, Anmol mentioned to Matz that it was her birthday the day before and talked about her tennis game and hopes to play for LIU. He wished her a happy birthday and said he would root for her to get back on the courts.
Matz also visited the hematology/oncology clinic at the Stony Brook University Cancer Center, signing autographs and visiting with children undergoing chemotherapy.
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About Stony Brook Children’s Hospital
With 106 beds, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital is Suffolk County’s only children’s hospital. More than 8,000 children and young adults are discharged each year. Stony Brook Children’s has more than 160 pediatric specialists in over 30 specialties. The hospital is Suffolk County’s only Level 4 Regional Perinatal Center 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, and Cystic Fibrosis Center. To learn more, visit http://www.stonybrookchildrens.org/.
Greg Filiano
Media Relations Manager
School of Medicine
Stony Brook University
Office of Communications and Marketing
631-444-9343
Gregory.filiano@stonybrookmedicine.edu
