The MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Child Life Program provides therapeutic play and recreational activities to support children and families as they cope with illness, hospitalization, and treatment. We are dedicated to helping every child who walks through our doors understand why they are in the hospital, and we hope they walk away a little less scared.
What is a Child Life Specialist?
Certified Child Life Specialists help to reduce the stress and anxiety that many children experience in hospital and healthcare settings. A Certified Child Life Specialist is a professional who is specially trained to help children and their families understand and manage challenging life events and stressful healthcare experiences. They are skilled in providing developmental, educational, and therapeutic interventions for children and their families under stress.
Together, with your family and your health care team, the role of the Certified Child Life Specialist is to:
- Use developmentally appropriate language and resources to help a child understand his/her illness
- Prepare a child for upcoming health care experiences
- Encourage effective coping skills
- Support a child during procedures using medical play and distraction
- Provide the family with opportunities to express feelings about the healthcare experience
- Provide pediatric patients with the opportunity for developmentally appropriate play and activities
- Help pediatric patients feel connected to school through our Hospital School Program
- Support siblings in understanding a brother or sister’s illness
- Provide support during bereavement
- Advocate for pediatric patients and their families
Our Child Life Specialist team
Kathleen Wallace, CCLS
Child Life Coordinator
General Pediatrics, Hematolgy/Oncology
Pediatric Procedural Sedation
Email: kathleen.e.wallace@gunet.georgetown.edu
Lauren Furtner, CCLS
Small Bowel Transplant
Hope for Henry Programming
Email: lauren.e.furtner@gunet.georgetown.edu
Jessica Tyndall, CCLS
Liver Transplant
Email: jessica.c.uze@gunet.georgetown.edu
Christine Anninos
Hospital School Program
Email: christine.h.anninos@gunet.georgetown.edu
Phone: 202-444-0173
Preparing your child for hospitalization at MedStar Georgetown
- Honesty is the best policy! Talk to your child about their upcoming hospital visit a few days before their procedure/admission. Being honest with your child is very important as well as answering any questions that may be concerning them.
- Have your child help pack a bag for the hospital. Encourage them to bring a few favorite toys, and books.
- Parents have open visiting hours and will be given identification bracelets to wear during your stay. Siblings are always welcome to visit but cannot stay overnight.
- If your child is coming to the hospital for surgery you might want to show them this video which can help prepare them for surgery and start the conversation of what the hospital experience will be like for them! OPERATION DAY with BUD E BEAR from HopeSong.org on Vimeo.
- Read some books about going to the hospital. Here are some options:
- Flip and Find Doctors by Samantha Meredith
- Franklin Goes to the Hospital by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark
- The Berenstain Bears Hospital Friends by Mike Berenstain
- Curious George Goes to the Hospital by Margret and H.A. Rey
What to bring to the hospital
Familiar objects from home may be comforting for children when coming into a new environment.
- A favorite toy or stuffed animal
- A special pillow or blanket, even bed sheets.
- Comfortable pajamas and slippers- the hospital provides gowns for medical procedures and surgery, but it is nice for your child to have their "own" clothes for other times during your stay.
- Magazines, books or other reading material.
- An interactive television through the Get Well Network is provided in every patient room. You will have access to the internet, movies, games and education. A portable Nintendo Wii can be provided.
- There is a washer/dryer, fridge, and microwave available for pediatric families in the family lounge
Wireless is available for our patients and families; bring your laptop and other electronic devices from home.
Hospital School Program
When a child is hospitalized, one of their biggest concerns may be the fear of falling behind in school. Participating in school activities allows students to keep up with their studies, stay in touch with their peers and focus on something other than their hospitalization. School-related tasks are familiar for most children, and they serve to normalize and humanize an often intimidating, painful and foreign experience.
MedStar Georgetown provides a certified teacher to work with hospitalized children while inpatient as well as provide advocacy for students and parents navigating the school systems upon discharge.
The Hospital School Program is generously grant funded by the Albert L. Tucker and Elizabeth T. Tucker Foundation. If you have any questions or are a parent of a chronic patient with school questions, please contact Christine Anninos, Child Life Education Specialist, christine.h.anninos@gunet.georgetown.edu.
Studio G Artist-in-Residence Program
Founded in 1993, Studio G brings a full range of professional artists—poets, musicians, visual artists, storytellers—to provide a full palette of expressive activities to children hospitalized at MedStar Georgetown. Children unable to join in the group activities may be visited in their rooms.
Studio G artists receive formal instruction in child development, the special needs and concerns of children who are hospitalized, safety issues, communication skills, and the importance of parents, other family members, and friends. This intense training is followed by a supervised internship under the direction of child development professionals and ongoing educational opportunities and support. Because of the program's unique training and internship components, Studio G has captured national and international recognition as a model program.
For more information about Studio G, including current artists/bios, please contact Judy Rollins, Studio G Coordinator, jar83@georgetown.edu or 202-944-3504.
Volunteer
If you are interested in volunteering please contact the Department of Volunteer Services at:
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
3800 Reservoir Rd., NW
Washington, DC 20007
CCC Building Room 3402
Call: 202-444-0695
Email: volunteerServices@gunet.georgetown.edu
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Walk-in hours: Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
Toy donations
Hospitalized children need toys for play year round. Toys donated by the community keep our playrooms supplied and help make special celebrations happen. There are several ways to donate to us:
Toy safety guidelines
- All toys (stuffed animals included) must be brand new due to our hospital infection prevention policies
- All toys should meet Consumer Product Safety Codes; any glue or paint on toys must be non-toxic
- No Latex balloons will be accepted due to allergy and safety policies
- No glass or spark/friction producing toys will be accepted due to safety policies
- No "humorous" medical toys will be accepted as it can cause misconceptions and fears
- No violent, frightening, or adult-rated themed toys will be accepted
- Wrapped gifts will not be accepted; wrapping paper may be donated with gift
- If you are unsure about your donation, please don't hesitate to call us, 202-444-3037
Gift cards to Amazon, will be accepted and used to benefit all of our programs.
Toy donation FAQs
Where, when, and how do I deliver my donation to MedStar Georgetown Child Life?
Please call 202-444-3037 to make arrangements Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Does Child Life accept used toys?
Unfortunately, due to infection control and the safety of our patients, only brand new items will be accepted.
May I deliver my gift directly to the patients?
We apologize, but because of concerns for patient confidentiality and infection control, you will not be able to directly deliver your gift.
Will someone pick up my donation?
Due to staffing, we are not able to pick up your donation. Donations may be mailed to:
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
ATTN: Kathleen Wallace, Child Life Program
3800 Reservoir Road, NW
Concentrated Care Center (CCC), 5th Floor, Room C5405
Washington, DC 20007
Make an online gift
You can make an gift through our online donations form.
Under Donation Information there is a "Designation" drop-down menu. In this menu choose other and specify in the memo line: Child Life Program.
If you are interested in supporting a specific program or making a monetary donation, please contact Katie Wallace, Child Life Coordinator, at 202-444-3037 or kathleen.e.wallace@medstar.net for details on how to make your donation.
We are so grateful to all of our wonderful donors and sponsors.
- Casey Cares Foundation
- Coles Closet
- Georgetown Cupcakes
- Hope for Henry Foundation
- Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation
- Starlight Children's Foundation
- Kraftlove
- Liver Mommas and Families
- Project Knitwell
- Icing Smiles
- Pilots for Kids
- Flashes of Hope
- Project Sunshine
- Beads of Courage
