Seattle Children’s recently hosted its first patient prom, bringing together 35 teenage patients for a night designed to give them an experience many have missed due to lengthy or recurring hospitalizations.
Many young patients at the hospital have grown up managing rare diseases, developmental disorders, cancer and other conditions that frequently keep them from typical adolescent milestones, including prom. According to a June 3 post from Seattle Children’s, hospital staff and volunteers organized the event, supplying donated dresses and suits, corsages, a DJ, dance floor, photo booth and a mini horse that was “dressed to impress.”
The event reflects a broader push among hospitals to address nonclinical needs, such as virtual reality games to distract pediatric patients during procedures.
Seattle Children’s said the prom reflects the organization’s belief that hope and healing require more than medical treatment.
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