Hospitalized Kids Get a Prom of their Very Own

Pediatric patients at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa celebrate the important rite of passage that every teen should have, no matter how sick.

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St. Joseph's Children's Hospital

May 19, 2015, 01:07 ET

TAMPA, Fla., May 19, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa hosted prom night for patients who were unable to attend their own prom due to hospitalization or who, due to chronic or life-threatening conditions, may never get the opportunity. On May 1, 2015, 65 patients exchanged hospital gowns for formal attire to take part in the Big Top Circus-themed event held in the hospital's auditorium.

Pediatric patients at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa traded their hospital gowns for formal attire and danced the night away during a special prom night held in their honor Friday, May 1, 2015.

Seventeen-year-old Lizandra Ramirez and fellow oncology patient, Jose Frias, age 17, traded their hospital gowns for formal attire and danced the night away during a special prom night St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa held for its pediatric patients May 1, 2015.

"Like all proms, the special evening included a mix of music, dancing, refreshments, keepsake photos and memories that are sure to last a lifetime," said Christi Schwichtenberg, child life supervisor at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital.

Children with chronic or life-threatening conditions sometimes miss or have to delay traditional childhood rituals, such as playing a team sport, slumber parties, learning to drive and participating in high school dances. The Child Life team at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital organizes special events, like prom, in an effort to provide patients with experiences that they might not otherwise have due to treatment and hospitalization.

And because no child should have to miss prom because of an illness or injury, the event is not limited to just high school patients.

"For some seriously ill pediatric patients, this prom may be a once in a lifetime opportunity," said Schwichtenberg. "We think it's a night that every child should have, no matter how sick, which is why we gave them a chance to go to prom now."

To see video and photo highlights from St. Joseph's Children's Hospital's prom, visit bit.ly/YouTube-StJoesKidsProm and bit.ly/Facebook-StJoesKidsProm.

About St. Joseph's Children's Hospital
As Tampa's only dedicated children's hospital, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital is committed to providing everything needed for the health and well-being of children. Part of the BayCare Health System, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital provides more acute medical and surgical pediatric care than all other hospitals in Hillsborough County. From the tiniest baby to the high school quarterback, patients are cared for by doctors who specialize in treating children, in surroundings designed exclusively for kids.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 13 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care.

Video - https://youtu.be/xv5_oMmxrz0
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150519/217151

SOURCE St. Joseph's Children's Hospital