On Friday, Oct. 31, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital partnered with the Long Beach Fire Department to bring Halloween to life for young patients—right inside the hospital walls. Miller Children’s & Women’s event hall was transformed into a vibrant Halloween playground, where kids in wagons, wheelchairs, and walking with IV poles got to experience the joy of trick-or-treating, surrounded by music, laughter, and a whole lot of magic.
Guided by Child Life specialists and uniformed firefighters, patients explored a whimsical world filled with glowing pumpkins, inflatable spooky trees, enchanted forests, and themed booths bursting with treats. From the moment they arrived, kids were greeted by a parade of characters—Ghostbusters, Spiderman, SpongeBob, and even Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers—ready to hand out goodies and high-fives.
And the magic didn’t stop at the decorations. The care team ditched their scrubs for costumes, becoming Disney princesses, Minions, dinosaurs, and Oompa Loompas. A cheerful face-painting artist transformed little cheeks into glittering fairies, roaring dragons, and shimmering unicorns, while a puppeteer had the crowd giggling with a lively show that brought stories to life.
“We love going all out for our patients,” said Rita Goshert, director, Cherese Mari Laulhere Child Life Program, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital. “There’s something magical about seeing a child’s face light up when they meet their favorite character or get a surprise treat. It’s pure joy.”
One patient dressed as a Disney princess twirled through the booths, waving at every character she met. Another roared like a dinosaur while collecting candy from a Jurassic-themed station.
“It feels like Halloween exploded in here—in the best way!” laughed Sabrina Wong, mother of Frankie and Pepper Piñon. “We came last year and had so much fun, we couldn’t miss it this time. It’s such a treat to see our doctors in costume and having fun, instead of just during medical appointments.”
The support from the community and the Long Beach Fire Department inspires both patients and the care team to continue creating these cherished experiences for children. This event, along with many others, is part of the Long Beach Fire Department’s Kids Program, which brings a sense of normalcy to hospitalized children by helping them participate in holiday festivities. Through events and activities, patients and their families can enjoy memorable holiday moments, momentarily forgetting about treatment.
“Our patients may not be ringing doorbells this Halloween, but that doesn’t mean they miss out on the fun,” added Rita Goshert. “We bring the costumes, candy, and characters right to them—because every child deserves a little magic and the chance to just be a kid, even in a hospital.”
Events like these are organized by the Child Life Program at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital, which works year-round to make the hospital experience brighter and more inclusive for children and their families through developmental, educational, and emotional support.
Ten-year-old Yosselin, a patient at the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Institute, beams with joy in her princess costume as she poses beside an inflatable Baymax, LBFD firefighter Behrens, and Tassia Trink, RN, from the Trauma Department. Surrounded by twinkling lights and festive Halloween décor, she soaks in every magical moment of the celebration.
Sisters Frankie Piñon, age 4, and Pepper Piñon, age 1, light up the Halloween celebration dressed as Wednesday Addams and Chester from the hit series Wednesday. With Halloween decorations all around and cheerful energy in the air, the duo delights in their matching spooky style.
