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EDITOR: KATIE ARDMORE | SCROLLNEWS@BYUI.EDU

APRIL 24, 2012

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KELLY GUBLER | Scroll Photography

Nearly 700 students from Madison and Fremont counties ocked to Madison Memorial Hospital April 19, for the annual Teddy Bear Clinic. The event is part of the Madison Memorial Foundations efforts to make the hospital less intimidating to children. The hospital will also redecorate the childrens part of the emergency room with murals and new furniture.

Hospital admits teddy bears for kids

KATIE ARDMORE & SCHAE RICHARDS Scroll Staff

hildren learned to overcome their fears of hospitals by admitting stu ed animals for check ups and immunizations at the Madison Memorial Hospital Foundation Teddy Bear Clinic April 19. We want to get kids familiar with the hospital so when they do have to come, theyre not as afraid, said Sharon Pirenti, director of the

hospitals foundation. We try to make a more positive experience for them. Madison Memorial Hospital received 700 second-graders from Madison and Fremont counties. Hospital sta presented several aspects of the hospital including poison control, X-rays and the emergency room. Kids learned about washing hands properly, receiving IVs and drawing blood. Im having a lot of fun, and I think the kids are too, said Carly Mendenhall, a sophomore studying elementary education. Its a good way to get them comfortable with the hospital.

e children then lled out admission forms for their stu ed animals, weighed them and watched them receive pretend shots. Its scary for everyone to come through the hospital, so if [the children] have past experience, they feel more comfortable, said Upper Valley Medical Auxiliary committee member Rachel Gillette. e kids know about it; theyre excited for it. Children received packages with things like coloring pages, dental kits and teddy grahams. Local Latter-day Saint wards and dental o ces helped make the kits.

Gillette said the committee is mainly in charge of the Teddy Bear Clinic, which has been going for about 12 years. e committee had been hosting the clinic for about 10 years before taking a hiatus for hospital renovation. is is the clinics second year . Pirenti said the clinics have been successful. She has seen several children admitted to the emergency room calm because they know what to expect. Jodee Nelson, a participating teacher, said this event means more to the children than a regular eld trip. ey enjoy coming to the hospital, Nelson said. It helps them feel at ease.