MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach hosted a series of reunions to bring together former patients, their families and the care teams who helped them recover during their hospital stay.
The 6th Annual Rehabilitation Reunion, 7th Annual Heart Surgery Reunion and 12th Annual Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Reunion were held in an auditorium at Miller Children’s & Women’s, which was completely transformed into a beach paradise for patients. Each reunion featured a live bubble show, beach ball games, arts and crafts sessions, pet therapy dogs, face painting and more.
The reunions featured a variety of volunteers who host activities and entertainment, including Rossmoor Pastries, Long Beach Police Department, Aquarium of the Pacific, Painted Turtle, Signal Hill Police Department, Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach Auxiliary among others.
Each reunion provided a special opportunity for patients and their families to thank the care teams who helped care for them throughout their hospital stay. These former Miller Children’s & Women’s patients and families share a strong connection to their care teams who, for most, have performed life-saving care.
For many of these patients – including NICU Graduates, who often stay in the hospital for months at a time – the reunions also mark a major milestone in their care, and how much they’ve progressed.
“These reunions mean a lot to the patients, families and our care team,” says Rita Goshert, manager, Cherese Mari Laulhere Child Life Program, Miller Children’s & Women’s. “We love to see how far our former patients have come from their hospital stay or intense procedure. It’s always great to see these kids and their families interacting with the care teams that took care of them while they were in the hospital.”
