STHS Children’s Child Life Program To Receive Special Donation From Spirit Halloween’s Spirit Of Children Program

As part of its annual tradition, Sprit Halloween will donate the proceeds raised locally during the 2024 Halloween season to STHS Children’s to help pediatric patients better cope with their hospitalization

A hospital stay can be a stressful, nerve-wracking experience for patient of all ages. Children, however, can find the feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression overwhelming and amplified by unfamiliar environment and separation from loved ones.

In its commitment to providing care that goes beyond the medical, South Texas Health System Children’s provides developmental, educational and therapeutic interventions to support children and families as they adjust to the hospital setting through the facility’s Child Life Program.

“It’s remarkable to see what hospitalized kids are able to overcome with the preparation, coping skills and support provided by our Child Life Program,” says Kim Davis, MBA, BSN, RN, pediatric administrator, STHS Children’s. “By providing our patients and their family members fun, educational activities that teach them what’s happening while normalizing the experience of coming to a hospital empowers our littlest of patients and show them how resilient they can be in difficult moments.”

The important work of the STHS Children’s Child Life Program would not be possible without strong community partnerships like the one with Spirit Halloween, which has helped make the hospital setting less frightening and intimidating for pediatric patients.

For more than five years, Spirit Halloween has been committed to supporting STHS Children’s through its Spirit of Children initiative, which takes place during the Halloween season and sees the seasonal retailer donate a portion of funds raised across Spirit Halloween’s stores to children’s hospitals across the country.

In the Rio Grande Valley, the five Spirit locations have graciously donated a portion of proceeds from the sale of Halloween costumes, accessories and décor, as well as any additional donations from local customers, to the Child Life Program at STHS Children’s. In all, Spirit Halloween has donated nearly $260,000 over the last five years.

“Spirit Halloween’s generous donations have helped provide a welcome distraction to the patients in our care,” says Davis. “Thanks to their support, we’re able to host a variety of activities for our patients that not only reduce their anxiety and stress but also puts big smiles on their faces.”

Following a banner 2024 Halloween season, Spirit Halloween will be presenting a check in the amount of $56,948 during a special event on Thursday, February 27, to the Auxiliary to South Texas Health System Children’s, the healthcare system’s non-profit arm, to support Child Life Program initiatives at STHS Children’s. Held in the hospital’s main lobby, the check presentation event will begin at 11:00 a.m.

“Spirit of Children is the heart of Spirit Halloween,” says Whitney Thompson, Rio Grande Valley District Manager, Spirit Halloween. “This program allows us to give back to our communities and we are so pleased to partner with STHS Children’s to be able to provide smiles and fun for the kids in the community who need it the most.”

Using the excitement and imagination of Halloween, the retailer’s Rio Grande Valley stores have helped make hospital experiences less scary for kids. STHS Children’s is grateful to Spirit Halloween and its Spirit of Children program for this donation which will go towards helping Rio Grande Valley families during what can be a stressful ordeal.

To learn more about the partnership between STHS Children’s and Spirit Halloween, as well as the facility’s Child Life Program, visit STHSChildrens.com.

About South Texas Health System

South Texas Health System is a multi-facility healthcare system serving patients throughout the Rio Grande Valley. The system includes four acute care facility campuses with specialties in pediatrics, heart and vascular services, maternity and women’s health and trauma services. Inpatient and outpatient treatment for behavioral health needs and addictive disorders is also provided through the system’s South Texas Health System Behavioral facility. South Texas Health System is affiliated with the South Texas Clinical Partners ACO, Prominence Health Plan and Cornerstone Regional Hospital. The system operates an advanced Level I Trauma Center at South Texas Health System McAllen, the first and only freestanding children’s facility and pediatric ER at South Texas Health System Children’s, the region’s only freestanding heart hospital and specialized cardiac ER at South Texas Health System Heart and seven freestanding emergency rooms located in and around Weslaco, Mission, Edinburg, McAllen, Pharr and Alamo. For more information about the system and its comprehensive services, please visit www.southtexashealthsystem.com.

Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of South Texas Health System. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.