In 1985, the enCourage Kids Foundation was developed to humanize healthcare for children and their families. The aim of the foundation is to help hospitals become a better place for healing, encouragement, support and hope. The programs that are offered by this foundation provide relief for individuals who are dealing with the weight of managing health conditions when they have to constantly visit hospitals and physicians offices.
Bringing Comfort to Children and Their Families
About 3 million children are hospitalized in the U.S. every year. Children need security, safety and support. They want to feel embraced, loved and cared for. But being in the hospital can be a scary experience. It’s an unfamiliar place that’s filled with odd noises, strangers and conversations. Kids need to feel as though they’re in control, and being subjected to treatments can interfere with that sense of power.
Sick children may feel as though their lives have become chaotic. They may already feel as though their illness is taking away their sense of control. The enCourage Kids Foundation helps rebuild the sense of comfort and security that children and their loved ones need to find the light when their lives are scattered by health issues and medical problems.
enCourage Kids Foundation Programs
Coping with a chronic illness or disability can be frustrating and terrifying for children and their parents. Sometimes, life hits you with surprises. Not all of them are positive, but you can plan for the unexpected. Kids and their families can still find joy when they’re dealing with some of the most devastating experiences that they’ll ever face.
The programs that the foundation offers can help a child cope with the stress of undergoing countless treatments. The foundation provides relief for siblings who are worried about their loved ones. It promotes feelings of joy in parents who are overwhelmed by going through the motions of helping their families handle the situation.
The foundation funds programs to put children at ease during their medical visits. Some of the benefits that enCourage Kids has sponsored include:
• Hospital Happenings – This program brings interactive performances and entertainment into the hospital setting to lift patients’ spirits and reduce loneliness and fear.
• Creative Arts – Artistic therapy programs encourage kids to express their emotions and soothe anxiety, improve patient cooperation and give children something to look forward to.
• Technology – Games, entertainment systems and tablets provide distraction and fun for kids who are stuck in a hospital bed or going through various types of therapy.
• Hospital Admission and Comfort Kits – Personalized activity packs make children feel special and alleviate boredom.
• Bears – Kids get a cuddly companion to ease their nerves when they’re undergoing unfamiliar procedures or meeting with medical professionals.
• Recreational Activities – Hospital parties, day trips and outings give kids a chance to live fully and have adventures even if they’re sick, taking the pain and fear out of going to the hospital and improving children’s self-confidence.
• Equipment and Supplies – When hospitals and doctors’ offices are outfitted with kid-friendly equipment, pediatric patients feel more at home, and the healthcare professionals can be more comforting and efficient as they do their work.
You want to protect your family. So do enCourage Kids and I. We recognize that there is nothing more important than health, comfort and happiness.