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Starlight Children’s Foundation Honors Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach with Hospital of the Year Award

November 24, 2024

LONG BEACH, Calif., Nov. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach was honored with Starlight Children’s Foundation’s prestigious Hospital of the Year Award, recognizing the remarkable contributions of the Cherese Mari Laulhere Child Life Program. This recognition highlights Miller Children’s & Women’s exceptional dedication and commitment to helping enhance the emotional well-being of children and their families during hospitalization.

For more than 30 years, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital has partnered with Starlight to bring joy and comfort to its young patients. The collaboration has been pivotal in promoting the Power of Play as a therapeutic tool, creating moments of happiness and distraction amidst challenging medical journeys.

“At the Cherese Mari Laulhere Child Life Program, we are dedicated to creating a supportive environment that minimizes the stress of hospitalization,” says Rita Goshert, director, Cherese Mari Laulhere Child Life Program, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach. “The Power of Play isn’t just a concept for us – it’s at the heart of everything we do in the Child Life Program.”

Through this longstanding partnership, Starlight has provided toy deliveries, hosted events, and brought special guests, including celebrities, to uplift the spirits of children during their hospital stays. From interactive toys to gaming stations, the Child Life Program and Starlight have worked together to create an environment where kids can be kids, even in the hospital.

“Starlight’s programs are a vital part of how we bring moments of joy into the lives of children during their stay here,” says Dinarte Viveiros, chief nursing officer, Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach. “Whether it’s a toy delivery or a special event, these programs help our patients feel more at ease and allow them to temporarily escape the stress of being in the hospital.”

The Starlight Hospital of the Year Award is a testament to the outstanding care provided by healthcare professionals who understand the importance of integrating play-centered programs to help improve the emotional well-being of young patients. By fostering a joyful and supportive atmosphere through play, the child life team at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital helps children feel more comfortable and engaged during their hospital experiences.

“The child life team at Miller Children’s Hospital has embraced the Power of Play wholeheartedly, utilizing Starlight’s programs to create an environment where children can find comfort, distraction, and even joy, despite the circumstances,” says Viktoria de Jong, mission delivery coordinator, Starlight Children’s Foundation. “Their compassionate approach, combined with Starlight’s programs, has created a nurturing environment where children can engage in imaginative play and experience moments of happiness at times when it’s needed most.”

About MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach:
MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach is a member of MemorialCare, a not-for-profit, integrated healthcare system. As one of only eight free-standing children’s hospitals in California, Miller Children’s & Women’s is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a “Best Children’s Hospital” for pediatric pulmonology and lung surgery. Regionally, it ranks among the top 10 in the state — treating more than 14,000 children each year — and has become a regional pediatric destination for more than 65,000 children requiring specialized outpatient care through its Cherese Mari Laulhere Children’s Village Outpatient Center and satellite centers in Torrance, Fountain Valley, and Irvine. With maternal-fetal medicine specialists and neonatologists available 24/7, Miller Children’s & Women’s cares for birthing people with high-risk pregnancies and premature infants all under one roof. Learn more millerchildrens.org.

About Starlight Children’s Foundation
No matter the length, hospital stays can be lonely, stressful, and scary. That’s why Starlight exists. Founded in 1982, Starlight Children’s Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization that aims to deliver happiness to hospitalized children and their families. Carefully crafted to address the unique needs of pediatric patients, Starlight’s vital programs – including Starlight Gaming, Starlight Virtual Reality, Hospital Gowns, and Starlight Toy Deliveries – are donor-funded and offered free of charge to hospitals within its nationwide network to provide comfort, distraction, and a sense of normalcy to kids coping with hospitalization, procedures and treatments. The impact of these programs reaches even further to the families and caregivers, creating a supportive community that nurtures kids when they need it most. To learn more and to help Starlight deliver happiness to hospitalized kids, visit starlight.org and follow Starlight on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.