Dec My Room turns young MetroHealth patient's room into a home away from home
A prolonged hospital stay is a daunting prospect for anyone. But when you are a child facing hospital time, the idea can be a bit overwhelming if not downright scary.
What to do to help make the stay more kid-friendly? How about a hospital room makeover?
That's where the charity Dec My Room comes in.
In 2007, founders Susan Plank and her daughter Kendall were asked to visit a young family friend who was going to hospitalized for 3 weeks. They decided they wanted to make his stay more comfortable. They called his family, found out what his interests were and hit the stores. When their friend arrived for his hospitalization, he found his room decked out with items from his favorite sports team. Dec My Room was born!
The organization recently partnered with MetroHealth and transformed their very first MetroHealth room in January.
Four-year-old Josh thought he was just getting a much anticipated trip the the playroom that day. As soon as he left his room, the Cleveland Area Chapter of Dec My Room moved in. Josh loves Transformers and Paw Patrol so those themes played a big part in his room redo. Less than one hour later, Josh's room had a new quilt, wall stickers and framed art. There were coloring books and toys featuring some of his favorite characters. A new robe and toothbrush were in his bathroom. He had new sweatpants and superhero t-shirts to match, and a comfy beanbag chair to hang out it. Parents were included too, with comfy pillows for the bed they used as well as some pampering lotions and leggings to relax in for mom.
Watch the video to see the transformation and to hear from Rebecca Davis, the director of the Cleveland Chapter of Dec My Room.
For more information on Dec My Room, click right here.
Founded in 1837, MetroHealth is leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery, and teamwork. Cuyahoga County’s public, safety-net hospital system, MetroHealth meets people where they are, providing care through five hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers. Each day, our nearly 9,000 employees focus on providing our community with equitable healthcare — through patient-focused research, access to care, and support services — that seeks to eradicate health disparities rooted in systematic barriers. For more information, visit metrohealth.org.
